Wonwell Court

Wonwell Court is a large farmhouse dating back to the 16th century, with significant alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries. The house is constructed of coursed slate-stone rubble, sometimes rendered, with slate roofs. It presents a complex history, with an 18th-century facade concealing an earlier building, possibly an open hall or a three-room cross-passage L-plan house, to which a very large wing was added in the 19th century, creating an overall U-plan with an extended wing on the north-east side. Much of the earliest structure, including its roof, was later enclosed by reconstructions.

The front facade is two storeys high, with four windows, all 24-pane early 18th-century sash windows set within splayed voussoirs, and a plain string course at ground floor level. A string course also runs to a deep frieze and bracketed eaves at first floor. The third bay features a six-panel moulded 18th-century door with an eight-pane overlight, set within granite "Tuscan" pilasters supporting a shell hood on brackets, and displaying a coat of arms. A section of brick wall extends to the right, incorporating a stack. The left return displays a larger double 15-pane sash window in rendering. The right return has a 20-pane sash and two 2-light windows at first floor, accompanied by three-light windows at ground floor, and a large rendered stack at the right end. Beyond this is a single-story kitchen with a further stack. The rear elevation includes a 1.5-storey extension with a low-pitched slate roof, featuring three half-dormers with 2+3+3 lights over two 3-light windows with segmental heads. Doors are located to the left and right. The principal stack to the main hall or saloon emerges centrally, halfway up the slope. The later wing retains various sashes and casements.

Inside, the entrance hall features dado-height fielded panelling and doors with moulded architraves, alongside six-panel fielded doors. A small corner room to the right contains a diagonally set fireplace in the corner, with dado panelling including deep embrasures to the windows. The main saloon or hall to the left is characterized by full-height fielded panelling, a glazed cupboard with fluted pilasters, a fine dentil cornice, and three deep plastered beams. A round-arched, chamfered brick opening leads to the service wing, and has a broad plank door on strap hinges. A Victorian baluster staircase is also present. One principal bedroom has a bolection mould wood fire surround. Various fielded panel doors are throughout the house. The principal floor over the saloon is double construction with a suspended ceiling. The roof of the main 18th-century reconstruction is a later 19th-century king post truss design, set independently above the complete 16th-century roof, consisting of six trusses with two purlins and chamfered arched bracing to the central stop. All joints are pegged and numbered. There is no evidence of wind bracing; the principals are halved at the ridge, without a ridgepiece. The service wing roof has, at a lower level than the principal roof, five trusses with cambered collars, all members pegged and numbered.