Brook Manor House

WEST BUCKFASTLEIGH SX 76 NW

4/142 Brook Manor House - - II*

Former Manor House. Dated 1656. Stone rubble, partly slate hung and partly rendered. Bituminised turned slate roof with gabled ends. Three storeys. Now L-shaped on plan originally E-shaped but west (left hand) coving burnt down in C19. The West wing (the original central range) has three-storeyed gabled porch to right of centre with round arched doorway and hood moulds over first and blocked second floor windows. Datestone 1656 over first floor window. To left two four- light chamfered wooden mullion windows to hall and horizontally sliding sashes above with glazing bars. Second floor blank. Large rendered external chimney stack on rear wall. South east wing projecting on right hand has slate hung west side and lean-to along ground floor. The east side of south east wing was remodelled in circa early C19 to form principal front. Two storeys and attic. Five bays. First floor slate hung. Ground floor two-light sashes with glazing bars and first floor four two-light casements. Both ground and first floor windows have dripmoulds. Four C19 gabled attic dormers. Central two storey gabled porch with round arch doorway. Interior: Original inner door (of west wing) has heavy moulded doorframe with carved steps and moulded and panelled door with wrought iron door knocker inscribed RC 1656 (RC initials for Richard Cabell). Large newel staircase to right of screens passage. Fireplace on rear wall of former hall to left of screens passage, has chamfered granite jambs and wooden lintel with ovolo moulding with gem-cut steps. Heavily moulded doorframes with carved steps. Richard Cabell was Lord of the Manor of Brook. He was a man of very ill repute and the subject of a local legend. It is said that on the night of his death (allegedly 1677) black hounds, breathing fire and smoke, raced over Dartmoor and surrounded Brook Manor House, howling. He is buried at Holy Trinity Church, Church Hill, Buckfastleigh Teignbridge District qv and his tomb in the churchyard was designed to imprison his remains and prevent his haunting the neighbourhood. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based "Hounds of the Baskervilles" on this legend. -

Listing NGR: SX7132967680