Chilworthy House

ST31SW COMBE ST NICHOLAS CP -

6/45 Chilworthy House (formerly listed in Ilminster without CP) 4.2.58 GV II

Country house. Late C19, Random rubble local stone, quoins, Ham stone dressings, slate roofs, coped verges, buff brick stacks in groups of 2 and 3 set diagonally on base, moulded caps. Plan: on sloping site, land rises to the south with loggia and billiard root on pardon front, principal roods on east front (entrance) and north. Tudor manorial style. East front; 2 and a half storey gable ends flanking 2 storey centre, one and half storey billiard wing lit on return, 1:l:2:1 bays, 3-,4- and 5-light stone ovolo- moulded mullion windows, end bay left 4-light canted bay with hipped stone slate roof: single storey porch centre of main block with gabled centre to parapet with unidentified coat of arms, cornice, depressed Tudor arch head opening with hoodmould, ribbed and studded door, 15-panel inner door, roughcast returns, circular lights with pedimented lintels, Interior: entrance hall with 16-panel moulded compartment ceiling, chimneypiece in late C15 style, cup and cover capitals supporting mantelpiece, panelled stair-well against rear wall otherwise little interior decoration of note; chamfered beam with step and runout stops in kitchen, probably reused. Externally a very successful pastiche of a Tudor manor house. The house was purchased by Sir Herman Runge c1900 and his jranddauqhter, the novelist Monica Dickens, set her first two novels around the house (The Times, 25 March l985).

Listing NGR: ST3177312298