Manor House

ST7022 9/8

ABBAS AND TEMPLECOMBE CP TEMPLECOMBE HIGH STREET (East side) Manor House (Formerly known as Manor Farm House)

24.3.61

II*

House. C17 and later on medieval site. Local stone coursed rubble with ashlar dressings; shallow pitch hipped Welsh slate roof; brick chinney stacks. 'L'-plant 2 storeys, 4 bays to West facade, irregular fenestration. Ovolo mould mullioned window to upper bays 2,3 and 4, and below to bay 4 and between bays 2 and 3; that to lower bay 4 has hood mould; reserved chamfer mullioned windows of 2-lights to bay 1: between bays 3 and 4 a studded boarded door in heavy frame, with C20 stone porch under flat moulded hood. Projecting stair turret on East side, with plain doorway and various ovolo mould mullioned windows. Short return Southwards to match, then a long non-domestic wing which may incorporate medieval fragments, although windows are mostly modern; one ovolo mould window and a moulded door surround may be reused. Interior not seen, but a comprehensive report speaks of traces of a spiral staircase in the North West corner of the main house; a fairly rare reserve chamfer moulded fireplace (possibly reset) in the South West corner, with 4-centre arched stone lintol; rear staircase may be C17, sundry beams with various mouldings and a variety of doors and door frames; and to the rear extension probably C17 collar roof trusses. Site held as a preceptory by the Knights Templars until 1300, from then until 1540 it was owned by the Knights Hospitallers; after that various lay owners modified it, especially Charles Brooke before he died in 1610. The remains of a chapel of c1200 survived until c1980 just East of the return wing. (VAG Report, SRO unpublished, July 1983; D.M. Clarke-Irons, A Short Record of Abbas and Templecombe, 1974).

Listing NGR: ST7090122080