Ruins of Catchfrench Old House and screen wall, attached to south of Catchfrench Manor

SX 35 NW 4/44

ST GERMANS Ruins of Catchfrench Old House and screen wall, attached to south of Catchfrench Manor

21.7.51

GV II Ruins of Catchfrench Old House and attached screen wall. The wall includes a re-set doorway dated 1580; rest of building of C16. Slatestone rubble, partly slate-hung, with granite dressings. No roof surviving. The ruins of the house are attached by the screen wall to the south side of Catchfrench Manor (q.v.). What remains is a two-room plan of a formerly larger house, with central porch tower leading to through passage; hall to right and lower end room to left.

The porch tower is three storey, slate-hung at the left side; ground floor four-centred arched doorway in granite, with cavetto and roll-mouldings and pyramid stops, recessed spandrels with leaves and hood mould. At first floor, hollow-chamfered three-light granite window with moulded mullions and hood mould, similar three-light window at second floor and one scrolled kneeler to right, blocked doorway to left side. The interior of the porch has stone floor and sockets for first floor beams. At first floor to the rear of the porch, a fireplace with flat chamfered granite lintel and jambs. Inner granite doorway with four-centred arch, roll and hollow mouldings and pyramid stops, with roundels in spandrels. Remains of plaster on walls. To right, the hall has large six-light window with king mullion and transom, all mullions hollow-chamfered, light to right blocked. Part of moulded granite eaves cornice remaining. Lower end to left has four-light window with king mullion, hollow-chamfered with hood mould, similar four-light window above. The wall is curved back to left, with the screen wall brought forward to left, extending about 8 metres; this is in three builds with straight joints, doorway with flat brick head to centre. Tall four-centred arched doorway adjoining Catchfrench Manor, hollow-moulded, with leaves in recessed spandrels and inscription over head: 1580 GEORGE KEKEWYCHE.

C20 wrought iron gates across doorway. At the right side, doorway with timber lintel, and remains of external stack. The building may have originally been U-plan, with wings to front right and left enclosing a courtyard; there has been much rebuilding.

Interior: rear passage doors has four-centred arch, plain convex moulding to outer side, slatestone rubble wall built at rear blocking the doorway. No evidence of hall fireplace, probably never floored. In the lower end, the wall to the passage rises to full height, with granite four-centred arched doorway with roll and hollow mouldings, recessed spandrels with leaves. The lower end room has lower floor level than in the passage and hall. The hall was probably divided from the passage by a screen, only footings remain on the hall side of the passage.

Listing NGR: SX3074559574