Nethway House

SX 95 SW KINGSWEAR BROAD ROAD

10/31 Nethway House (formerly listed in 18.10.49 Brixham UD)

• II*

Country house in small park. Dated 1699. Built for John Fownes. Red brick in Flemish bond. Bitumanised slate hipped roof with heavy moulded wooden modillion cornice. Giant corner pilasters in brick with moulded sandstone bases. Stone plinth. Double depthplan. Three storeys and cellars. 2:3:2 bays, centre three bays slightly advanced with giant pilasters and with eaves cornice breaking forward. Sash windows with glazing bars and cambered brick arches. Central doorway with red sandstone pilasters stone entablature, semi-circular fanlight and panelled door. Seven-bay rear elevation and five-storey side elevations, with rendered first and second floors. Four plain rendered chimney stacks sym- metrical on ridge. Two-storey service wing to east, stone rubble, rendered south side with sash windows, now coverted into three cottages, probably originally stables. Good contemporary interior. The principal ground floor rooms have bolection moulded panelling with contemporary bolection or later C18 chimney pieces and moulded plaster ceilings. The entrance hall has a fine plaster over- mantle with garlands and cartouche with helmet and putti. Stair hall at rear has massive open well stairs to first floor with moulded string, turned balusters and heavy moulded hand rail ramped up to large panelled square newel. Panelled and pilastered dado, fine moulded plaster landing ceiling with oval and laurel branches with eagles and heavy cornice with acanthus leaves and eagles. Bedrooms, one is panelled, the others have moulded plaster cornices. One attic room has moulded plaster cornice. Secondary staircase on east side of house, full height, dog-leg with moulded string heavy moulded balusters and handrail and semi- circular newel said to be half a ship's mast. Moulded square sandstone plaque to right hand of ground floor inscribed: 'The Within House was built by John Fownes Esquire Anno Domini 1699'. Charles II is said to have visited Nethway in July 1671, so presumably there was an earlier house on the site.

Listing NGR: SX9025452141