Dewlish House

Dewlish House is a country house situated within its grounds, built in 1702. The front and left-hand walls are constructed of ashlar stone, while the rear and right-hand walls are of brick. The roof is hipped and slate-covered, with a central flat section made of lead, along with brick end stacks. One stack is positioned centrally to the right-hand side. The house follows a double pile plan, with two storeys and an attic.

The front elevation features a modillion cornice, a plat band at first-floor level, and a moulded plinth. The central bay, and the two end bays project slightly, the end bays featuring pseudo-hips. The central bay has a shallow, Flemish-style pediment with an enriched cornice. Rusticated quoins are present. The recessed entrance has a pair of oak panelled doors with a fanlight, set within a classical surround, beneath a segmental broken pediment bearing a coat of arms, supported by Roman Doric pilasters. Windows are arranged as follows: the centre bay features two sashes with glazing bars on the ground floor, three on the first floor, and one in the attic pediment. Each of the end bays has two sashes with glazing bars on both the ground and first floors. The attic also contains one hipped dormer with a matching sash window. The intermediate sections have one sash with glazing bars on each of the ground and first floors, with two dormers containing similar sashes in the attic. The rear, garden, elevation is brick faced, with a central projecting bay featuring a pediment. It has sashes with glazing bars on the ground and first floors, the central first-floor window being round-headed and set within a stone surround. Hipped dormers with similar sashes appear in the attic. Earlier service ranges at the west end were once demolished. Stable buildings form a courtyard at a lower level, with a terrace situated above, raised to the level of the house’s first floor.

Internally, the hall includes re-used panelling from the 17th century, as well as an 18th-century fireplace surround. Behind this, in the stair hall, is an 18th-century cut string staircase, characterized by twisted and turned balusters, a wreathed handrail, and carved spandrel brackets, with the underside of the stair following the brackets’ profile. A simpler service staircase is located nearer the west end. A study features raised pine panelling with bolection mouldings. The "oak room" at the east end contains raised oak panelling, an enriched plaster ceiling, and an elaborate cornice. The library has re-set panelling and a stone fireplace surround composed of fragments of earlier stonework, including two traceried panels. Dewlish House represents a good example of an 18th-century country house, with substantial surviving interior work.