Tregeare House

Tregeare House is a substantial country house in Laneast, dating from circa 1790, with significant alterations and additions made in the mid 19th century and late 19th century. After a fire in 1983, 20th-century alterations were undertaken.

The house is constructed of rendered stone rubble beneath a hipped slate roof with lead rolls. Axial chimney stacks have rendered shafts.

The building follows a large double-depth plan. The principal entrance occupies the centre, leading into an entrance hall with the main reception rooms positioned to the front left and right. Further principal rooms are located to the rear left, facing the garden front. The stair hall sits to the rear right, with service rooms behind. A late 19th-century wing extends to the rear on both left and right sides. A late 19th-century attic storey was added but has since been largely removed.

The front elevation is symmetrical, presenting two storeys on a plinth with a 2:1:2 bay arrangement, the outer bays advanced. A heavy modillion cornice with blocking course runs across the facade, surmounted by a blind balustrade above the central bay. A central Ionic portico with modillion cornice shelters the entrance, which features inner half-glazed double doors flanked by sashes. All windows are sashes with varying pane numbers—some are late 19th-century originals and others are 20th-century replacements with 12 panes.

The left side forms the garden front, displaying a symmetrical 2:2:2 bay arrangement with the central bays advanced. Most windows here are 12-pane sashes, though the two central ground-floor windows are late 19th-century sashes; two further ground-floor windows to the right are blind. A modillion cornice and pediment crown this elevation, with a single late 19th-century dormer visible behind the pediment from the former top storey. A two-storey wing of late 19th-century date is attached here, built in slatestone rubble with a hipped slate roof. Its inner side contains a 20th-century window at first floor; the end presents two 12-pane ground-floor sashes with a corbelled oriel above.

The right side returns the modillion cornice, with two blind ground-floor windows and at first floor a blind window to the left and a 12-pane sash to the right. The stair hall projects with a large round-arched stair light containing stained glass. A narrow two-storey late 19th-century bathroom wing adjoins this, carrying 12-pane sashes at ground and first floors. Beyond this, the rear 19th-century wing projects with a canted corner, fitted with 16-pane sashes at both storeys. The wing's inner side features three plate-glass sashes at first floor and two ground-floor windows with elliptical arches and 24-pane sashes with sidelights. This wing is rendered and lined out.

The rear of the central range is rendered and three storeys tall with two windows per storey—20-pane sashes at ground and first floors, and two 16-pane sashes at second floor. The right-hand wing displays two 16-pane sashes at ground and first floors with a 20th-century door at the inner side set beneath cambered brick arches. The left-hand wing has a blind gabled end with a single-storey 19th-century addition containing a 12-pane sash. Its inner side shows 19th-century 16-pane sashes at ground and first floors to the left, with flat brick arches, and a 20th-century door to the right. A wooden bellcote with a lead ogee roof and weathervane crowns the structure.

Internally, plaster cornices and panelled shutters were replaced following the 1983 fire. The entrance hall features doorcases with pediments on either side, each with 6-panelled doors and panelled reveals. The front right room contains an introduced marble chimneypiece. The front and rear left rooms retain late 18th-century plaster cornices embellished with acanthus ornament, original chimneypieces, dado rails, and shutters; double doors connect these two rooms. The stair hall contains a large open-well stair with a scrolled string, wreathed handrail, and turned balusters; modillions are positioned below the string. The first-floor landing is screened by fluted Ionic columns. A green baize door at the rear of the stair hall provides access to the service rooms. All first-floor rooms are fitted with 6-panelled doors. The stair light features stained glass bearing the name Jasper Baron and the date MDCCXC (1790).