Boringdon House

Boringdon House is a great house of medieval origins on Boringdon Hill, Plympton. The present structure is predominantly 17th century but contains some 16th century detail. Following a period of neglect, the building was partly rebuilt in the late 20th century.

The walls are constructed of coursed rubble with granite dressings to the principal elevations, with other elevations in rubble. Some slatehanging appears above the hall. The roofs are steep dry slate with gabled designs, including a pyramidal roof to the entrance tower. Embattled parapets with beaded cornices sit above parts of the front roof, and there is a moulded parapet entablature to the tower to the left of the front. The gables are coped with dressed stone, and lateral stacks are present, some outbuilt, alongside corner stacks to the entrance tower. All stacks feature moulded cornices.

The plan is large and irregular, probably E-shaped in the 17th century but mostly rebuilt to the right of the central entrance tower. A small stair wing is positioned at the rear of the passage. The layout includes a large hall to the left of the entrance and a large later 17th century stair tower projecting to the front left. A fairly deep wing with hipped roof extends at the far left.

The exterior comprises a tall two-bay hall with two squat storeys above and flanking four-storey towers. A large stair tower rises to the left of this, and a partly rebuilt four-window-range wing stands at the far right, now two storeys but originally taller. Mullioned windows with leaded glass feature throughout, with the principal windows displaying square hoodmoulds. The very large four-light hall windows have two tiers of transoms.

The entrance tower contains a very fine moulded round-arched doorway within an outer order with a carved arch resting on Tuscan nook columns. Projecting piers flank this doorway, featuring moulded and carved entablature with shell niches containing carved lions. The range on the right contains two reused round-arched doorways and a large reused four-light mullioned window.

The left-hand return features a three-storey projecting gable end of the main range with a six-light mullioned window with two king mullions to the ground floor and four-light windows above, all with arched lights. A two-window-range stair tower, set back on the right, has windows at mid-floor level on its right and a doorway with relieving arch on its left. Set back on the left are two bays with three-light windows beneath a shaped parapet. At the far left is a narrow, slightly projecting blind gable with blocked openings that had communicated with a later wing, now removed.

The rear elevation remains unaltered to the upper floors, though the lower floors are obscured by a 20th century lean-to.

The interior retains several good features despite a long period of neglect prior to repair and restoration. A 16th century four-centred arched doorway with hoodmould leads from the passage into the hall. The hall contains a massive chimneypiece dated 1640 with initials C R, decorated with strapwork and the Royal Arms flanked by caryatids representing Peace and Plenty. The ceiling above is ribbed plaster with trailing detail and moulded cornices between ceiling beams featuring richly carved plaster decoration. The staircases have been restored but incorporate original 17th century oak fragments from the original staircases. Several other good moulded and carved stone doorways are present, along with some stone fireplaces, at least one displaying richly carved detail.

The house was acquired by the Parkers in 1582 from the Duke of Suffolk, father of Lady Jane Grey. The Parkers moved to Saltram, Merafield Road, in the mid-18th century.