Court House Raleigh House

Court House, Raleigh House and No 8

A court house, now divided into two private houses and a holiday cottage, with origins dating to the late 16th century, extended probably in the late 17th century and again in the 19th century. The complex comprises an ashlar slate stone range on the left and a stone rubble range on the right, with asbestos slate and rag slate roofs finished with gable ends. Brick end and axial stacks are present throughout.

The building follows an overall L-shaped plan. The earlier range forms the front wing on the left, originally comprising two rooms with a central entrance lying east-west, with both principal ground floor rooms heated by end stacks. A 19th century stair in a stair projection projects to the rear (south) of the passage, and a service outshut extends to the rear of the left hand (east) room. The principal room, possibly the original court room, sits above the right hand room on the west. Around the 17th century, the Court House was extended with a range of double depth plan to the front (north) of the west room, creating the L-shaped footprint. This extension featured a central entrance with two principal rooms to the front (east) and a service room to the rear, itself extended in the 19th century by a further bay on the right (north). The 17th century range has since been divided into two houses: Raleigh House to the south and No 8 to the north. Court House comprises the earlier range.

The building is two storeys with an attic. The front elevation, facing east, has a regular 3:3:1 arrangement. The left hand wing is faced in ashlar slate stone masonry and displays a central 19th century door with fluted doorcase, flanked by a 19th century 12-pane sash on the left and a 19th century 16-pane sash on the right. The first floor contains an early 18th century 12-pane sash with heavy glazing bars to the left, a 12-pane window with 18th century glazing bars in the centre, and a 19th century 12-pane sash to the right. Two hipped full dormers with 19th century 2-light casements occupy the roofline. An extension of one bay to the right, probably dating to the 19th century, includes a 20th century door on the ground floor and a 20th century window above. The north elevation of the earlier left hand wing presents a regular three-window front with a fine circa early 18th century shell hood to a porch and 19th century door. Two 19th century 12-pane hornless sashes are positioned to the left with three above, the right hand sash being horned. The left hand gable end features a balcony with heavy turned balusters, reset when the wing was truncated in the 19th century, and carries 19th century bargeboards.

Interior features are significant. Court House retains complete circa mid-18th century raised and fielded panelling in the right hand room, with painted floral trail to a pine china cupboard and a 17th century ovolo moulded lintel to the fireplace with stepped and tongue stops. The left hand room contains a 17th century carved timber frieze of unusual detailing, heavily scored in the 19th century when plastered; the owners have retained a piece of the frieze. An early 19th century stair of walnut features turned newels and balustrade with ramped rail. The principal room on the first floor has a barrel vaulted ceiling originally decorated with 17th century moulded plasterwork, now lost. A datestone reading 1668 is visible on the end wall. The doorcase to this room is ovolo moulded with double stepped and tongue stops. Raleigh House contains 18th and 19th century floor joists and mostly 19th century joinery. The roof structure was not inspected.

The building originally fronted the water's edge prior to 19th century remodelling of the south side of the harbour, and the front wing has been truncated by one bay.