The Old Rectory

THE OLD RECTORY, MAWGAN-IN-PYLAR

A rectory, now house, designed by William Butterfield circa 1858 with few later alterations. Built in slatestone rubble with granite dressings, it exemplifies High Victorian Gothic residential architecture.

The building is constructed with a steeply pitched slate roof with crested ridge tiles and gable ends. The gable ends and axial stacks are in squared stone with shaped tops. The plan comprises two staggered parallel ranges with a cross wing at the left end and a two-storey porch in the angle at the front, creating a double-depth house with typical purpose-built rectory arrangement.

The asymmetrical two-storey front features a gable end to the left, an off-centre two-storey porch to the left, and a range to the right with a parallel rear range for the service rooms. The gable end to the left has an external stack with granite quoins and a corbelled string at first-floor level, with a chamfered plinth. The two-storey gabled porch has a two-centred arched outer doorway with buttresses on either side, a chamfered string course above, and four-light trefoil-headed windows to each side. The inner two-centred arched doorway has chamfered mouldings and panelled and half-glazed double doors with a two-centred arched fanlight. At first floor is a second string course and a two-light window with eight-pane sashes with shouldered heads. The verges have raised coped details and a cast-iron finial. Cast-iron gates formerly crossed the outer opening of the porch, and the side windows were originally unglazed.

The right side of the front elevation has paired eight-pane sashes with shouldered heads lighting the stair and small four-pane sashes at ground floor. To the right is an eight-pane sash at ground floor and another at first floor in a shallow raking dormer. The left side serves as the garden front. The study to the right has a three-light window with the central light taller and a four-centred arch with hood mould, flanked by weathered buttresses. At first floor is a two-light window with shouldered eight-pane sashes beneath a steep gable. To the left of this elevation is a canted bay with two-centred arched plate-glass sashes and a stone roof with battlements. The right side has two gable ends, the one to the right slightly advanced. To the left is a four-pane sash at ground floor and two four-pane sashes at first floor, with a plank door with strap hinges and two-centred chamfered arch. To the right is one pointed arched sash at ground floor and two at first floor.

A sunken service yard lies at the right side, containing a range of single-storey outhouses in L-plan with doors and four-pane lights, forming a lower service yard approached by stone steps. One outbuilding retains a boiling copper.

At the rear, the gable end to the right has paired plate-glass sashes at ground floor with hood mould. At first floor are paired sashes with blind two-centred arches over and a recessed trefoil with hood mould. The verges have raised coped details with a cross finial. The middle range to the left has two paired and a central single sash at first floor under swept eaves. At ground floor are four eight-pane sashes to the left and two paired plate-glass sashes with central buttress and hood mould lighting the dining room.

The interior plan comprises an entrance hall to the front centre, with a study to the front left and drawing room to the rear left. The dining room is to the rear centre and the stair to the right. A passage from the entrance hall leads to the service rooms to the rear right, with a separate service stair. The house retains a complete set of Gothic eight-panelled doors to the main rooms and six-panelled doors to service rooms. The entrance hall has matching dado panelling. The stair is dog-leg with a panelled screen with twisted balusters, which may be a later alteration.

The study has a marble chimney-piece with quatrefoil carving and wooden mantel. A window pelmet is pierced with quatrefoils and paired panelled shutters complete the room. The drawing room has a similar marble chimney-piece and panelled shutters. Both rooms have wainscoting in two tiers, each chamfered, with wooden cornices. The dining room has a similar chimney-piece and dado panelling.

The door to the service corridor is flat on its outer face and was probably originally covered with green baize. It leads to the kitchen, pantry and scullery. The rear room contains a bread oven with a cast-iron door, slate floor and slate shelves. A stone stair descends to the cellar, which has vaults, one featuring a pointed arch. The service stair is dog-leg with chamfered balusters and finials.

This is a notable example of a simple Butterfield rectory, with external architectural detail and consistently executed internal joinery throughout. The chimney-pieces are simple in form but of high design quality, exemplifying the architect's attention to detail across both public and service areas of the house.