Mount Stone

PLYMOUTH

SX4653NW CREMYLL STREET, Stonehouse 740-1/65/727 (East side (off)) 01/05/75 Mount Stone

GV II

Small country house built into a former quarry, now within urban setting. Mid-late C18, S wing rebuilt 1780 following a fire, extended and altered c1833 by John Foulston. Slatehanging on rubble; dry slate roofs, with projecting front eaves; rendered end, axial and lateral stacks. PLAN: evolved double-depth plan: original part on left with original outshut to rear left and C18 wing at right angles, the wing later partly absorbed by the deeper extension at rear right; large central stair hall at the front and a C18 service stair behind; later lean-to at far left. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys; 3:1:3-window range, the central stair bay taller under a hipped roof. Original 12-pane hornless sashes with fairly thick glazing bars to 1st-floor left; late C19 horned sashes below flanking a narrow doorway with 4-panel door with glazed top panels. Central bay has spoked oculus over mid-floor stair window with margin panes, both within moulded architraves. Original c1833 16-pane hornless sashes to right except that sashes to ground-floor centre and right have had their glazing bars removed. Right-hand return is the entrance front which is blind except for c1833 distyle-in-antae Doric doorway with margin panes to overlight and to tall narrow sidelights flanking original panelled door. Rear has at least one C18 sash with thick glazing bars, and there is a similar sash to left of outshut; other windows are mostly early C19 hornless sashes with glazing bars. INTERIOR: has many good quality original and early C19 features including: C18 modillion cornice and shutters with fielded panels to ground-floor left; palm and acanthus to coved cornice in chamber above and ovolo-moulded shutters; chinoiserie service stair; C18 cornices also to rear wing; early C19 ceiling cornice with ornately carved band, and chimneypiece with "flying horseshoe" iron grate, to front room on right, and moulded cornice to room behind. HISTORY: Mount Stone is a remarkable survival from when Stonehouse was still a rural part of the Plymouth district, slightly later evolving into a town in its own right. The house is very unusual in that its elevations are completely slate-hung, and its interest is further enhanced by the interesting blend of good C18 features with the later features

by Foulston. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-: 672).

Listing NGR: SX4635853666