Prideaux Place

PRIDEAUX PLACE, PADSTOW

A country house of late 16th-century origin, attributed to Nicholas Prideaux who inherited the property in 1581 and died in 1592. The house was extended and partly remodelled by Edmund Prideaux (1683–1745) and possibly by his son Humphrey. Considerable remodelling was undertaken by Reverend Charles Prideaux-Brune between circa 1810 and 1833, with service rooms extended in 1907.

The original house probably followed an H-shaped plan facing east, with a central two-storey porch. The hall occupied the higher left-hand (south) side of the central passage and was heated by a rear stack, with family rooms likely in the south cross wing. A parlour or withdrawing room was positioned on the lower right-hand side (north) of the passage, with service rooms in the centre of the north cross wing. The great chamber above the hall retains fine quality plaster ceiling work of late 16th or early 17th-century date.

Edmund Prideaux inherited the property in 1728. Contemporary drawings show the east front with gable ends to the front wings and proposed window alterations to the south elevation. Many rooms contain fine quality bolection-moulded panelling, traditionally reused from the demolished Grenville house at Stowe, Kilhampton. This includes panelling in the reading room in the west wing, the south-east room in the south cross wing, the steward's room on the right-hand side of the passage, and the grand chamber above the hall, which was subsequently divided into two rooms and its ceiling covered. The hall was possibly remodelled in the early 18th century and extended to incorporate the passage, receiving a cornice and moulded ribs to the ceiling. The panelling in the hall shows at least three phases, with the screen probably of late 16th or early 17th-century date and the remaining panelling circa early 17th century, apparently reset. A bake-house range to the north-west of the north wing was probably added coeval with these alterations and retains several early 18th-century twelve-pane sashes with heavy glazing bars. A Borlase print of 1758 shows the house with hipped ends to the front wings; the existing arrangement represents an alteration executed either by Edmund Prideaux after his drawing of circa 1730s or by his son Humphrey prior to 1758. The two-storey north-east wing was probably added at this time.

Reverend Charles Prideaux-Brune inherited the property in 1793. Much of the Gothic remodelling is traditionally associated with his work between 1820 and 1833, although the style appears somewhat archaic and would normally be associated with a late 18th-century date. The south front was refaced and remodelled with a central battlemented bow with pinnacles to the drawing room and oval bedroom above. A new stair hall was formed in the extension to the rear of the hall and passage with Gothic detailing, and the south-west block was refaced and remodelled to form the library. In 1907 the rear court was infilled, and in 1960 the parapet and pinnacles above the south bay were reduced.

The building is constructed of slate stone rubble with a moulded granite plinth. The main range has a battered base, which does not continue around the front wings and porch. A distinct straight joint appears at the angle between the front range and the two projecting wings; the front wall masonry is finely coursed whilst that of the front wings is rubble. Moulded granite strings run horizontally across the façade. The south front was refaced with ashlar slate stone circa 1810–1833. The slate roof with hipped ends was remodelled between 1730–1758, with renewed rendered axial and end stacks.

The exterior shows two storeys and attic. The east front presents a symmetrical 1:2:1:2:1 fenestration pattern, with a later range to the north-east (right). Castellated parapets with moulded plinth border the main range and moulded granite strings divide the storeys. A central two-storey porch, flanked by two wings to right and left, dominates the composition. The inner east entrance retains a 17th-century triple-lapped door with framing and moulded arch with vase stops. The porch features four-light mullion windows to ground and first floors with a four-centred arch and a two-light mullion window above. A two-storey range to the right has a single window to its front. The south garden front is asymmetrical with four-centred arched openings and mullion and transom windows. A central bay features a low library tower to the left, which has a battlemented parapet with finials.

The interior comprises a through-passage probably remodelled in the early 18th century when the partition on the higher side was removed and the moulded hall cornice was continued around the passage. A fine quality carved screen of circa late 16th or early 17th-century date with dentailing is inserted on the higher side of the passage. The panelling in the hall is reset and probably of at least three phases, including small carved figures with rotating arms. A 20th-century hall chimney-piece is present. A moulded cornice and 18th-century moulded plaster to joists embellish the hall. Bolection-moulded panelling appears in the steward's room on the lower right-hand side of the passage and in the east room of the south cross wing. The drawing room in the south cross wing has a circa early 19th-century moulded plaster cornice ornamented with quatrefoils, and the reading room to the west retains complete bolection-moulded panelling and fine quality carving. The library has a vaulted ceiling with detailing of circa mid to late 18th-century style, although traditionally attributed to Reverend Charles Prideaux-Brune's work of the early 19th century. The stair hall displays Gothic detailing of fine quality, archaic for the early 19th century, with complete plasterwork, canopied recesses and a granite cantilever stair with iron balustrade. The chamber above retains a circa 1600 historiated plaster barrel-vaulted ceiling, restored in the 1980s, depicting Susanna and the Elders.

Only partial internal access was available at the time of inspection in 1987, and the roof structure was not inspected. For a detailed account, see the Historial Monuments Commission report of 12 May 1986.