Oakenhayes House

OAKENHAYES HOUSE

House. Originally of approximately the 17th century, constructed in two phases; re-oriented and enlarged in the early 18th century, with 19th and 20th century alterations. Built in slatestone rubble, partly painted, with granite dressings. Slate roof, hipped over the front range, with stacks having brick shafts to rear right and left. The rear range is partly in asbestos slate, with a gable end to the rear featuring a gable end stack with rubble shaft, truncated.

Plan and Development

The rear range is the earliest building and appears to have been a single room heated by a rear lateral stack; this may be the remains of a formerly larger building. At the left end, an addition of one-room plan was made, probably in the late 17th century, heated from a gable end stack. This range faces south. In the early 18th century, the house was re-oriented to face east, with a new range of 2-room plan, each room heated from a rear lateral stack and with a central entrance hall. A stair tower was added to the rear left, in the angle with the early range, and an addition of one-room plan was made to the rear right, probably as a kitchen, with entrance at the right side, where a well is located. A dairy addition, unheated, was also made to the right side of the early 18th century range.

Exterior

The early 18th century front is of two storeys, a symmetrical three-bay front with heavy moulded eaves cornice and pediment, dressed granite plinth and rusticated pilasters, and a dressed granite band course. The ground floor has a central panelled and glazed door with rusticated granite pilasters, voussoirs and keystone. The first floor has a central round-arched niche with granite hood mould and keystone. Twelve-pane sashes with thick glazing bars in exposed boxes with moulded granite cills are positioned at ground and first floor to left and right. At the apex of the gable is a blind lunette with moulded granite cill and keystone. Set back to the left, a single-storey lean-to has a similar 12-pane sash to the front. The right side has a single-storey rubble lean-to with door and window.

At the left side, the early range has the stair addition to the right; the first floor has two 20th century windows. At the right side, in the angle to the 18th century range, are a 20th century porch and a round-arched casement at first floor.

The 18th century addition is of three storeys, with 20th century windows at ground and first floor and a 19th century two-light casement at second floor. Attached to the right is a two-storey lean-to with 20th century windows at ground and first floor. The gable end of the range has an external stack.

Interior

In the early 18th century range, the front door has HL hinges and diagonal battens. The room to the left has a two-panelled door and panelled shutters to the window; the fireplace has been altered in the 20th century. The room to the right has a cupboard to the left of the chimneypiece and carved brackets on the right wall. The chimneypiece has an eared architrave and moulded mantel; shutters are present to the window. The stair tower contains a dog-leg stair with fine Chinoiserie panels and moulded handrail.

In the rear range, the door at the right side, inside the 20th century porch, has a granite carved figure as keystone, probably a re-used early 17th century piece. The door to the one-room addition is panelled with a letterbox, originally an external door. The well has a round slatestone arch with granite keystone and pump remaining.

In the one-room addition, the fireplace has a segmental brick arch with granite keystone and springers; it formerly had an oven to the left. The end room to the rear has a gabled end fireplace with roughly chamfered timber lintel and a granite-linted oven to the left.

On the first floor in the early 18th century range, the room to the left has a chimneypiece with pulvinated frieze and moulded mantel, and a cupboard to the left with brackets. All doors at first floor are two-panelled.

The roof is continuous over the front 18th century range and the middle room in the rear, of early 18th century date, with crossed and pegged principal rafters, slightly trenched purlins and collars pegged to the principals. The end room in the rear range has a 19th century roof.