The Old Rectory

CORNWORTHY SX85NW CORNWORTHY 6/71 The Old Rectory

GV II

House, formerly the rectory. 1784, by Joseph Rowe of Exeter. Rendered stone rubble. Slate half-hipped roof with rendered stacks at gable ends. Plan: A symmetrical 2-room plan 2 storey house with attics and basement. The 2 principal rooms are on the ground floor; an entrance hall between has a staircase in a projecting tower at the back which gives access to the services in the basement and the bed chambers on the first and attic floors. The ground level behind the house is at basement level. In circa mid C19 a large service range (now a separate house) was built behind almost detached but linked by a short block at the base of the stair tower of the original house. In the C20 single storey extensions were- added at either end of the main house, that to the left apparently replaces a conservatory, the extension to the right is the new kitchen, raised up above the lower ground level behind. Exterior: 2 storeys attic and basement. Symmetrical 3-bay front. First floor 12-pane sashes, ground floor tripartite sashes (4:12:4 panes); all the sashes are original. Central doorway with a fine wooden doorcase, the pilasters have fluted ,capitals and a fluted frieze with paterae, dentilled cornice, paneled reveals and a semi-circular fanlight with radiating glazing bars and the original 6-panel door the top panels glazed. The 2 segmented-headed dormers are probably late c18 or early C19 and have 3- light casements and slate hung sides. Small C20 casement at either end and C20 casement at basement level at the rear. Small single storey C20 extensions on either end. Interior: Most of the original joinery survives including panelled doors and internal window shutters. The left hand room has an egg-and-dart and small acanthus cornice and a small circa late C18 wooden chimney piece with a dentilled cornice. The right hand room has an arched-head china cupboard on the rear wall and a plain moulded ceiling cornice; its fireplace was removed when the C20 addition was built on the right end. The entrance hall in a wide passage with a stair well at the back with an open-well (almost a dog-leg) staircase with stick balusters, moulded string and moulded hand rail ramped up to column newels. The staircase rises up to the attic and there is a short flight to the original kitchen in the basement.

Listing NGR: SX8288455536