Tintinhull House

Tintinhull House is a detached house of the 17th century, reshaped in the early 18th century and later, built of ham stone ashlar with stone slate roofs between stepped coped gables and stone chimney stacks. It follows a double roof plan with additions and comprises two storeys with attics.

The east entrance elevation displays five bays, the first being a projecting gable. A continuous string course runs to the ground floor and eaves course. Bays 2 and 3 feature a single-storey flat roofed addition, probably of the early 20th century. The windows are hollow-chamfer mullioned throughout. Bay 1 contains a 3-light window below with a moulded cambered-arched door to its right, and above a 5-light window with a 3-light window to the attic, all with labels. A small blind window appears in the return at first floor level. Bays 2 and 4 have 3-light windows, and bay 3 a 2-light transomed and mullioned window, all with labels. Bay 4 to the lower level has a 5-light window with a chamfered cambered-arched doorway to its right. Bay 5 contains a small square window to the upper level, with one blocked below. An attic dormer window with flat roof sits between bays 2 and 3. A stone water cistern stands in the corner.

The west front, added circa 1720, comprises five bays in classical style with a hipped stone tile roof and chimneys with moulded caps. It features a high rusticated plinth, rusticated outer pilasters, and an eaves cornice. The centre three bays are enclosed by plain pilasters with Tuscan caps carrying a simple pediment above the eaves course. All windows are 2-light mullioned and transomed, beaded with architraves and rectangular-leaded with iron-framed opening lights having curl stays. To the lower level of bay 3 is a doorway reached by five steps, with a part-glazed panelled door surrounded by attached Tuscan columns and entablature with segmental pediment. Within the main upper pediment sits a circular attic window with iron-framed casements in a scrolled decorative frame. Two dormer windows with pediments, each containing 2-light windows, appear in the roof between bays 1 and 2 and between bays 4 and 5. Small 2-light basement windows occur in the plinth at bays 2 and 4.

The south elevation, facing the street, displays two prominent gables each crowned by chimney stacks, with several mullioned windows. The north elevation features one gable containing a 3-light hollow-chamfer mullioned window in a recess above and a similar ovolo-mould window under a label below. The western section of this elevation contains four 12-pane sash windows with thick glazing bars in nave mould recesses.

The interior divides into two distinct halves, both of the 17th century. Two staircases serve the house: the older, in the south-east corner, features a carved oak 3-centre-arched overthrow in a moulded frame at its foot, though the balusters are later work. The second staircase, located in the centre of the east section and dating to the early 18th century, follows a dog-leg pattern with turned balusters and a deep moulded curved handrail; the bottom step has a very generous side curl, and the wall sides are lined with fielded panelled dado.

The principal rooms occupy the western section. The centre room has a timber cornice and fielded dado panelling, a Keinton stone flag floor, and a simple fireplace surround; a doorway on axis with the outer door leads into the stair hall and is topped by an ornate fanlight. The dining room in the south-west corner matches this detailing and includes a shell-hood recess with shaped shelves in the north wall. The north-west corner drawing room was fitted out circa 1740 with new sash windows in the north wall; its cornice is more elaborate, the panelling extends to full height with extensive egg-and-dart decoration on panels and window openings, and the fireplace surround, though still restrained, shows greater elaboration of detail. The first floor rooms were not examined.

The house holds significant architectural merit and is celebrated for its gardens, developed by two early 20th-century owners. The Napper family, who also owned Tintinhull Court, held the property by 1630, though they did not always occupy it, and appear to have sold it sometime after 1814. The gardens were shaped by the Revd. Dr. S.J.M. Price until 1924 and subsequently by Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Reiss from 1933 onwards. The gardens are included in the Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England (Grade II). The house is now owned by the National Trust.