Manor House

SOUTH PETHERTON CP ST41NW COMPTON DURVILLE 2/91 Manor House

19.4.61

GV II

Detached manor house, now part of the religious community of St. Francis. C17, possibly 1680, modified in C19, north crosswing rebuilt by then owner Captain Firth to his own designs. Ham stone ashlar; Welsh slate roof between coped gables; ashlar chimney stacks, Two storeys with attics and basement, the north crosswing 3 storeys attics: east elevation to road of 7 bays. Ovolo-mould mullioned windows in wave-mould surrounds, separate labels; 3-light bays, 1, 2 and upper bay 3, 4-light lower bay 3; bay 5 has a 2-storey angled bay window to match of 1+3+1 lights, with hipped slate roof; bay 6 has small single-light windows; bay 7, the end gable of the north crosswing, has pairs of chamfer-mullioned windows at each level, 2-light to basement, first floor and attic and 3-light to ground floor, all with labels: bay 4 is a projecting 2-storey porch, with small circular windows in north wall, and in south wall an ovolo- mould segmental-arched opening into open porch, with chamfered cambered-arched doorway into main block, above being a 2-light mullioned window without label, all windows rectangular-leaded, with some iron-framed opening casements. Long ramp and flight of 6 steps to porch. North elevation of crosswing of 5 bays, built into side of hill, has single and 2-light chamfer-mullioned windows in recess with labels. Interior not seen, but reported is a 3-room plan with through passage, with some C17 and C18 panelling; original outside doors; several cambered-arched fireplaces, with large fireplace in south room; some chamfered beams with scroll stops; roof a C19 replacement: it is thought that the north crosswing is a rebuild of the former service rooms. A fireback in the house is dated 1680 with the initials JS (for John Stuckey, owner of the manor at that date) may give a rebuilding date: the estate may have pre-Doomsday origins, and was held by the Durville family in the early C13. In 1949 the house was transferred to the Fidelity Trust for religious uses; the Community of St Francis took up the tenancy in 1962, and opened a small hospital 2 years later (VCH, Vol III, 1974; VAG Report, unpublished SR0, September 1980).

Listing NGR: ST4193417285