Plympton House (St Peters Convent)

PLYMOUTH

SX5455NE LONGCAUSE, Plympton St Maurice 740-1/50/527 (North side (off)) 23/04/52 Plympton House (St Peter's Convent)

GV I

Country house, now a convent. From 1700, erected for the Treby family (Sir George Treby, Lord Chief Justice). Probably designed for the same architect responsible for Mothecombe and Puslinch (former list description). Mason in 1720 is George Veale. Front and rear elevations of limestone ashlar, otherwise brick with limestone dressings including moulded architraves and rusticated quoins; dry slate hipped roof behind parapet with moulded cornice; large brick axial stacks with limestone dressings. PLAN: large rectangular plan, with central stair hall. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys over basement; symmetrical 7-window front and rear elevations with centre breaks surmounted by pediments with heraldic achievements. Original sashes with thick glazing bars within moulded architraves; elliptical-arched basement windows. Central principal entrance approached by flight of stone steps with wrought-iron balustrades. INTERIOR: includes large entrance hall leading to an E-W corridor. The staircase fills the whole of the SE corner of the house, exceptionally rich, with four graduated balusters to each tread, the handrail ending in a virtuoso roll, and the landing with Corinthian-column newels. Much bolection-moulded panelling, corner fireplaces, two fine Baroque marble chimneypieces with oval centres, the one in the hall flanked by fluted pilasters, the drawing room one with scroll volutes. The spacious service rooms in the basement have elegant groin vaults on piers, as at Puslinch and Mothecombe. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-: 684; Country Life: LXXIV: London: 146).

Listing NGR: SX5466555900