Trenarth Barton

Trenarth Barton is a house, formerly a farmhouse, of late 16th-century origin with significant later extensions. The building is constructed of granite and shale rubble with granite dressings and slate roofs with gabled ends. Brick chimneys serve the gable ends and lateral stacks.

The house developed over several centuries. The original late 16th-century wing, which possibly contained the hall, is located behind the left-hand room of the main range. This wing was relegated to a rear service role when a new main south range was added in the late 18th century. A further rear wing to the right was built in the early to mid 19th century. The house is arranged around a courtyard plan, with the main south range containing two principal rooms and a central stairhall, all built over a cellar. A wall linking the two rear wings features an arched doorway opening onto the small rear courtyard. A small 20th-century extension occupies the outer left side of the left-hand rear wing.

The south-west front of the late 18th-century range presents a symmetrical composition of three bays, dominated by very large tripartite sashes with 4:16:4 panes. These windows have flat arches of dressed granite voussoirs and keyblocks with granite cills, though the sashes themselves were replaced in the 20th century. A central doorway with fluted pilasters features panelled reveals and a six-panel door; its head is obscured by climbing plants. The ground floor is now enclosed within a large 20th-century wooden conservatory in classical style, though the original front elevation behind remains intact. Set back to the right is a short two-storey wing with a single window, containing a 20th-century 16-pane sash on the first floor and a 20th-century garden door at ground level. The rear elevation includes a 20th-century 16-pane sash and a flight of steps descending to a cellar doorway with a chamfered granite frame. The stairwell projects into the angle with the rear wing and features a very large late 18th- or early 19th-century 24-pane sash with slate-hanging above.

The inner courtyard side of the north-west rear wing displays asymmetrical fenestration with hollow chamfered granite window frames. First-floor windows are two-lights with missing mullions, whilst to the right stands a four-light window with a king mullion and hoodmould. To the left is a chamfered depressed arch granite doorframe with long pyramid stops and hoodmould. Above this is a small panel within a granite frame, possibly made of lead, bearing the arms of Trefusis impaling Trenerth and the date 1656. A 20th-century 20-pane sash occupies the left side. The gable end of this wing displays a large projecting stack with a scrolled kneeler to the granite coping and brick shaft. External stone steps lead to a 20th-century glazed first-floor door in the gable. A short 20th-century wing extends from the outer west side of the north-west wing. On the opposite east side of the rear courtyard are outshuts against the north-east wing. Across the north end of the rear courtyard stands a screen wall with slated capping and a chamfered granite four-centred arch doorway with diagonal stops to the jambs.

The interior was not accessible at the time of survey. However, the main south range contains a late 18th-century open-well staircase with an open string, turned balusters and moulded handrail ramped up to column newels. Historical sources mention a "good Adam mantelpiece". Other interesting interior features are likely to exist in both the late 18th-century main range and the late 16th-century wing, which may also contain an early roof structure.

Trenarth was the seat of the Trenerth family until 1661, when it passed to Henry Trefusis of Treviades, who married Ann Trenerth, the heiress of the estate. The property subsequently passed from the Trefusis family to the Nicholas family in the early 18th century. In 1820, C.S. Gilbert described Trenarth as "a handsome modern building" belonging to Thomas Nicholls.