Radipole Old Manor

Radipole Old Manor

Manor house of late 16th-century date, though the east wing incorporates some earlier 16th-century work. Built for Richard Watkins. The building is constructed of coursed and squared stone with Portland ashlar dressings and slate roofs, with stone slate to the eaves courses.

The plan comprises a long principal range set one room deep with its gable end to the road. The west front adjoins the churchyard of the Church of St Ann. A full-height porch on the east side is balanced by a similar stair turret on the churchyard side, with an earlier wing projecting immediately adjacent to the porch. The original layout appears to have been L-shaped, with a cross passage leading to the stair turret, the hall to the left, and kitchens with service range to the right of the porch.

The exterior rises to three storeys. Most windows are recessed hollow-chamfer moulded mullion stone casements, mainly with stopped labels. The entrance front features two coped gables to the left, each with 3-over 4-over 5-light windows. The porch has 2-light windows at each level. On the east side is a doorway with a 4-centred arched head and moulded stopped surround, topped by a pediment and an inverted shield bearing the initials RW. The opening has a pair of iron gates backed by plate glass. The inner doorway is similar but without the pediment, and has a wide plank door on strap hinges; to its right in the corner is a small rectangular squint window.

The earlier gabled range to the right of the porch is two storeys with an attic, featuring 2-light casements without labels at ground and first floors. The gable end contains a stack and a flush 2-light leaded casement without mullion in the attic, above a replica 2-light window. The rear wall has a 3-light wooden leaded casement above a 2-light casement (formerly 3-light) and a 20th-century glazed door. The main range continues with one original and one replacement 2-light mullioned casement with leading. A lower slated service range is attached to this end. The gable to the road has an external stack and one small rectangular light at first floor.

The churchyard front displays a 2-window range with 3-light casements to the left of the stair tower, which has 2-light windows to the ground and second floors, the latter without label. A small stair light appears on the north side, and to the south is a wide blocked doorway with a flat 4-centred arched head and stopped moulded jambs, containing an inserted 2-light window. A large projecting stepped stack, tied to the main roof slope with a slated roof, stands to the right. Adjacent to this is a projecting unit resembling a bread oven. To the left and right are 2-light casements at ground and first floors. Further stacks occur at the west gable and to the west of the cross passage; all are executed in Portland ashlar with small moulded cappings. The gables feature saddle-back copings with finials on the entrance front and corbelled kneelers at the porch.

The interior was not available for inspection at the time of listing, but the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England records a stone newel staircase and a blocked hall fireplace retaining a 4-centred arched head. The parlour, originally beyond the hall, is now incorporated with it to form one large room.