Cannington Court (Part Of Somerset Farm Institute)

ST23NE CANNINGTON CP CHURCH STREET (East side)

12/7 Cannington Court (part of Somerset Farm Institute) (formerly listed under General)

29.3.63

GV I

Lay wing of a Priory of Benedictine Nuns founded by Robert de Courcei c1138, (which stood East of the Church of St Mary (qv)). Priory dissolved 1536; alterations by Edward Rogers after he acquired the property in 1538, particularly c1580; further alterations by Clifford family, particularly early C18; some C19 and C20 internal division. Random red sandstone rubble; some brick to entrance elevation and a section rendered; moulded cornice, ashlar parapet with a coping; predominantly triple Roman tile roofs, some hipped; some slate; ashlar lantern with a shallow semi-circular head niche to each face, weather-vane. Altered medieval hall and associated buildings ranged around an irregular quadrangle, further chapel wing to South. Entrance elevation of 3 storeys, 6:1:5 bays, third storey to right false, window openings blank; two, 3 and 4-light reserved chamfer stone-mullioned windows, those to first floor with transoms and stopped labels; those to second floor with cambered heads, a 4-keyed oval opening to each side. Central 3-storey ashlar porch, broad moulded outer opening, thin fluted and engaged Ionic columns on tall pedestals to each side, frieze, moulded cornice, stone mullion and transom window to first floor, 4-keyed oval opening to second floor. Underside of entrance archway divided into 3 parts each with a moulded cornice, paired barred wooden gates. Salient features of the courtyard the 2 tall 4-light stone mullioned and transomed windows to a first floor hall, the external doorway also remains in a moulded 4-centred stone surround, carved spandrels, stopped label; in the South-Eastern corner a stair turret. Interior with an octagonal early C18 chapel, domed and coffered ceiling rising to an octagonal glazed lantern; twin giant fluted Corinthian columns at each angle carrying a frieze and modillion cornice; to the West on first floor an ante-room with a vaulted ceiling giving onto the chapel as 3 galleried boxes. C15 fireplace to first floor of West range with 4 quatrefoils on the lintel; also on this floor 2 C17 painted wooden plaques. 5 arch-braced and windbraced roof trusses to wing on South of courtyard. (VAG Report, unpublished SRO, February 1982; VCH, unpublished).

Listing NGR: ST2579139575