Dunchideock House

Dunchideock House is a large house of 17th century or earlier origins that was substantially remodelled in the 18th century, extended in the early 19th century, and underwent significant internal alterations around 1905. The building incorporates features introduced from elsewhere during these later works.

The house is constructed of brick and stone, with the early core built of cob and faced with brick and stone, then colourwashed and rendered throughout. It is roofed with slate in a 2-span hipped design, with brick chimney stacks positioned axially to the left and right of centre and at the ends.

The present plan is double depth and 4 rooms wide, with 3 principal ground floor rooms facing forward and a kitchen to the right. The main entrance is at the left end and leads into a large staircase and entrance hall created around 1905, which sits to the rear of the left-hand principal room. A spine corridor beyond this divides the centre principal rooms and kitchen from smaller rear service rooms.

The complex development history is evident in the building's structure. The roof trusses and remains of cob walling show that the centre of the house, between the axial stacks beneath the front roof span, was originally a single-depth structure of 17th century or earlier date. The right-hand end appears to be a distinct rebuilding of 18th century date, using different construction methods. A ground floor room in the rear range contains late 17th century plasterwork and may originally have been a parlour wing at right angles to the old cob house, forming an L-plan before the second roof span was added. The major 18th century remodelling created the present double-depth plan with spine corridor. The house is said to have been extended in the early 19th century by an additional 2-span block at the left end, and the principal entrance with its Tuscan porch of granite columns dates from this period.

The building is of 2 storeys with attic accommodation. The front elevation is regular with 10 bays, the centre 5 bays being slightly projected forward, and features deep coved eaves. Sash windows with glazing bars are used throughout, though the 2 right-hand bays have more panes and are not aligned with the others. There are 3 attic dormers. The left end has a Tuscan porch with granite columns, flanked by a round-headed sash window to the left and a pair of similar sashes to the right.

Interior features of note include a jointed cruck truss of 17th century or earlier date spanning the centre of the house, with the collar mortised into the principals, and a closed truss with the collar lap dovetailed into the principals. The roof structure over the right-hand end has straight principals, but the absence of thick walls in the roofspace between the centre and right end confirms this section is a rebuilding rather than an addition. The left end has 19th century kingpost and strut roof construction. A small room to the rear, possibly originally a late 17th century parlour, retains a moulded cornice and a plastered-over cross beam. Numerous 18th and 19th century plaster cornices are found throughout the house, along with matching joinery. Several 18th century iron small-pane casements survive to the rear.

Features of particular interest introduced from elsewhere include extensive panelling in the ground floor front room, decorated with guilloche moulding and bearing a date of either 1679 or 1659. The same room contains an imposing granite chimney piece made up of granite pieces, one bearing the date 1662.