Bray House

Bray House is a stone-built house probably dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, substantially remodelled in the mid 19th century. It was likely built for Philip Mayowe, who died in 1590, or for his son Philip, who died in 1658. The house is constructed of stone rubble, partly rendered on the left-hand side elevation, with a slate roof featuring gable ends to the front range, continued down over an outshut extension to the rear.

The building features late 16th and 17th century stone rubble chimney stacks with moulded caps on the gable ends, and a projecting rear lateral hall chimney stack incorporated into the rear outshuts. A further 19th century front lateral chimney stack is positioned at the junction of the main range and the 2-storey porch. A projecting wing at the rear of the higher side of the hall has a slate roof with gable end and a projecting stone rubble lateral chimney stack with brick shaft. An offset rear wing at the lower end features a gable end and rear lateral stone rubble chimney stack with brick shaft.

The original plan comprised a front range of 2 rooms and a through passage with a 2-storey porch. The room on the left was heated by a gable end stack, and the hall on the right by a rear lateral stack. A stair projection to the rear of the higher side of the hall leads to a solar above the hall, heated by a gable end stack. An early 17th century parlour wing projects to the rear of the hall, heated by a lateral stack with an offset rear wing at the lower end, possibly 17th century but remodelled in the 19th century, also heated by a lateral stack. This creates an overall U-shaped plan. A 19th century applestore and brewhouse were added on the gable end of the rear lower projecting wing. A mid 19th century outshut was added to the rear of the hall and through passage, and a mid 19th century kitchen was added to the side of the lower wing in an outshut, heated by a re-orientated rear lateral chimney stack.

The front range originally comprised, in the late 16th or early 17th century, possibly a 3-storey lower end with a 2-storey higher end comprising a hall with solar above. This was remodelled in the mid 19th century to form a 2-storey range throughout, with an almost symmetrical 5-window front and a 2-storey porch in the centre. The front elevation features a large 19th century 3-light mullion window and a smaller 2-light mullion window to the left of the porch with hoodmoulds and 19th century casements. To the right of the porch are two large 19th century 3-light mullion and transom windows with hoodmoulds and 19th century casements. The porch features a circa 16th century arch, probably reused from an earlier house, with a 4-centred arch with heavy rollmould, incised spandrels, hoodmould and rollmoulded jambs with plain stops raised up on granite blocks. The inner entrance door also features a 16th century arch, probably reused from an earlier house, with a 4-centred arch with heavy rollmould and jambs raised on granite blocks. The first floor has four 2-light 19th century stone mullion windows with 19th century casements flanking a similar window in the gable end of the porch, above which is the coat of arms of the Mayow family (Gules, a chevron vaire between 3 ducal crowns or).

The left-hand gabled rear wing of two storeys has an asymmetrical 3-window front remodelled in the 19th century. It features a 19th century 4-light mullion window on the left and a 20th century gabled porch to the right with a 19th century 4-centred granite moulded arch and three 2-light 19th century mullion windows above. The rear elevation shows a 2-storey parlour wing with 19th century 3-light window openings on ground and first floor with deeply splayed reveals and chamfered lintels with masons mitres. Above the wing is a bellcote, though the bell has been removed.

The interior was largely remodelled in the 19th century. The partition to the through passage on the lower side was removed to form a large entrance hall heated by a front lateral stack with a 19th century carved stone chimney piece featuring a 4-centred moulded arch and carved spandrels. The hall has a 20th century chimney piece. The left-hand rear projecting wing has a 19th century carved stone chimney piece with a 4-centred arch. A 17th century framed timber stair to the rear of the hall was partly remodelled, with its lower stage enclosed in a cupboard. The window to the stair projection was blocked when incorporated into a later outshut, though a 17th century ovolo-moulded lintel remains visible from within the roof of the outshut. A 19th century carved timber balustrade to a balcony at the top of the stairs is located within the 19th century outshut. Evidence of a turreted stair adjoining the rear lateral stack in the parlour wing, now demolished, survives. Several plank doors with moulded cover strips, probably 19th century but of high quality, are present. A barrel vaulted plaster ceiling to the solar above the hall features possibly curved feet of principals projecting beyond the ceiling.

The front range retains a complete late 16th or early 17th century 10-bay roof with principals morticed at the apex. The collars feature notched dovetail lapped joints with unusual square cut notches on the lower side, similar to those at Morval House. The lower end was originally unceiled with the gable end plastered to the apex. The principals are chamfered both above and below the cranked chamfered collars, all with diagonal-cut stops. The five trusses above the through passage and hall were probably always ceiled, though the principals are chamfered below the chamfered cambered collars and have diagonal cut stops. A closed truss above the lower side of the passage possibly features a 17th century door with morticed frame. The softwood framework to the barrel vaulted ceiling above the solar appears to have been renewed, with a frame positioned well below collar level. The lighter collar members are halved, lapped and nailed onto the face of the principals with crude unjointed braces. The parlour wing has a similar 3-bay roof structure, while the lower rear wing has a roof structure replaced in circa mid 19th century. The roof structure to the porch is not accessible.

Historically, Bray was part of a property of Sir John Robert Tresilian, a judge under King Richard II who was later put to death. It was subsequently brought by Hawley and then purchased from Christopher Copplestone by Philip Mayowe in 1564. A contemporary map drawn up for Philip Mayowe indicates the site of the manor to the west of the present house. Mayowe died in 1590 and was buried in St Martin's Church. The house remained in the hands of the Mayowe family until the 1930s. John Mayowe (1640–1679), a physiologist and chemist, was a Fellow of All Souls, Oxford from 1660 and received his D.C.L. in 1670. He published a tract on respiration in 1668 in which he discovered the double articulation of the ribs with the spine, and put forward views (still discussed) on the internal intercostals, which he described in 'Tractatus quinque' published in 1674. He also discussed the chemistry of combustion and described muscular action. A later member of the Mayowe family served as Viceroy of India. Several monuments to the Mayowe family are located in Morval Church and St Martin Church. Further Mayowe papers are held in the Cornwall County Record Office.