Penlee Cottage Penlee House Polwithan

Penlee Cottage, Penlee House, and the adjoining property at 39 Polwithan are suburban villas, possibly originally three separate villas, built around the 1860s. They are constructed from local golden stone laid in courses over a granite ashlar plinth, with granite quoins and other decorative stonework. Some areas feature stucco detailing. The buildings have fairly steep roofs made of Delabole slate, with some sections grouted with bitumen. The roofs are adorned with shaped and pierced wooden barge boards and stuccoed axial stacks that have modillion cornices.

The properties have an irregular double-depth plan and rise to two storeys, with some attics. The road-facing side has an irregular arrangement of bays, consisting of a 1:1:2:1 pattern. The leftmost bay is set back and features a single window, while the next bay has a moulded segmental hood over original two-pane horned sashes, which are above two round-headed lights also with moulded hoods. This is followed by a canted bay window with a balustraded parapet and a 12-pane sash window with a moulded hood in the next bay.

On the left-hand return of these three bays, there is a single light above a two-centred arched doorway that has a panelled door and a plain overlight. The projecting gable at the far right contains a 12-pane sash window above another 12-pane sash window in similar stuccoed openings. The far left-hand return features two gable ends with tripartite sashes above two canted bay windows, mirroring the front bay. The right-hand return has a 12-pane sash window above two single-storey wings. The interior has not been inspected but is likely to be of interest. The buildings are included for their group value.