Stable Block To Penrice

SX 05 SW ST AUSTELL HIGHER PORTHPEAN

868-0/9/10078 Stable Block to Penrice

GV II

Stable block in grounds of country house (qv), part converted to domestic accommodation. Early C19 and later in a number of phases. MATERIALS: killas rubble except for dressed stone to front of principal stables, all with Pentewan stone dressings to heads of openings, dry Oelabole slate hipped roof to block on right of courtyard, other roofs with slates mostly fallen or removed; 2 brick axial stacks to roofed part. PLAN: stables on 3 sides of a courtyard, built in at least 5 phases with the original block on the left extended at either end with carriage house at the front end, loose boxes and principal stables in the rear block, built in 2 phases plus former stable block on its right linked by the inner corner, and the front ends of both blocks linked by a high screen wall with a wide central round-arched carriage doorway. The left and right-hand ranges incorporate stabling, tack rooms and coach houses. EXTERIOR: single storey except for basement smithy to rear end of converted range and basement shippon under principal stables. Round-arched openings with original or later C19 fenestration, all the windows with spoked fanlight or margin-pane heads: horned sashes to the unconverted buildings, cross windows with glazing bars to the converted range which is the final phase of the development. The doorways have ledged doors with spoked fanlights above. Left-hand block has 2 doorways of later carriage house on the left, then the original block with window, doorway, and 2 windows, and 2 carriage doorways on the right. Rear block front is 2 symmetrical 2-window fronts with central doorway to each part, the principal stable on the right with a narrower front and inscribed panel above the doorway. Right-hand block has 2 symmetrical 2-window fronts side by side and 2 carriage doorways on the right, one of which is now partly blocked and fitted with a window. INTERIOR retains its C19 features and fittings where inspected. The roof and ceiling structures are constructed of probable Penrice estate timber but the timber work that has been exposed to the weather is deteriorating. The loose-box partitions are of pitch-pine vertical boarding surmounted by iron balustrades most with shaped top rails. These fittings are also exposed to weather damage. These stables are a good example of an evolved group designed to give the effect of a planned group with continuity of structural and architectural detail, presumably extended as more stabling and carriage space was needed but with a courtyard plan in mind.

Listing NGR: SX0225050113