Budshead, Remains Of Mansion And Outbuildings

PLYMOUTH

SX46SE ROCHFORD CRESCENT 740-1/2/625 (North side (off)) 25/01/54 St Budeaux, Ernesettle Budshead: Remains of Mansion and Outbuildings (Formerly Listed as: ST BUDEAUX Remains of Mansion at Budshead. Remains of Outhouses)

II

Remains of mansion, now retained as picturesque ruins in a public space. C16 and C17, was the seat of the Gorges family, this house was largely demolished and a farmhouse was built in the early C19, now demolished and the remains of the house further reduced since 1975. Local rubble and dressed granite or volcanic stone. Walls surrounding a large square courtyard and further walls on 3 sides of an irregular forecourt. There is a through-passage alignment from front to rear. The embattled and buttressed C16 front doorway is attached to a very thick embattled curtain wall on its left and the 4-centred arched doorway is heavily moulded and has carved spandrels and a square hoodmould. The detached doorway on the right of the forecourt is the former porch doorway which was at the front of the C19 house. This feature has moulded coping above a square hoodmould and the moulded 4-centred arched doorway has carved spandrels and a cable moulding surrounding the tympanum. The wide doorway at the back of the forecourt seems to be a reconstruction and incorporates similar cable moulding. The moulded doorway at the rear has a 2-centred arch and the whole feature is probably re-set or re-assembled. There are the foundations of the former barn nearby and there is a cider-pressing base re-used as a seat. HISTORY: Sir Ferdinand Gorges was appointed 1st Governor of Maine in 1635. The house later came into the possession of the Trelawneys, and Sir Harry Trelawney, ADC to the Duke of Marlborough, specialised in ornamental gardens here. The remains on this site suggest that Budshead was once a very important house with fine architectural detail. The Remains of Outbuildings were listed on 01/05/75.

Listing NGR: SX4576360240