Description

WEST COKER CP MANOR STREET (East side)
ST5113
9/317 Manor House
19.4.61

GV I

Manor house. Medieval origins, the earliest surviving portions probably being of c1500. Ham stone cut and squared with
ashlar dressings; stone slate roofs between coped gables; stone chimney stacks, of which 2 seem medieval and the
remaining octagonal stacks may be early C17. Now a 'U'-shape plan with forwards extension: 2-storeys with attics.
West front of 6 bays irregular fenestration. Bay-1 represented by a wide one- bay projection with plain chamfer
mullioned window with labels, 4-light below and 3-lights above; then in corner the solar, with plinth and parapet;
South facing 2-light pointed arch window with transome and C15 style tracery; bay-2 has a double two- light flat arched
window with cirquefoil head lights; bay-3 has a fine projecting gabled porch no later than 1616 (graffiti of that date)
with pointed arch and crude rustication, above which are the Portman arms in a rectangular recess, under a gable with
urn finial; bay-4 is blank bellow, with 12-light hollow chamfer mullioned window above, the label to which has male and
female head stops; bay-5 has a similar 3-light window without label above which is a corbelled flue; then a two-thirds
height offset buttress before the blank lover bay-6, with a trefoild headed window in rectangular recess above.
Secondary entrance with plain doorway under stone hood on stone corbels on South side, behind which is projection with
dovecote at attic level. North and East elevations of similar character. Internally such of interest. The porch opens
into the screens passage with stair to the minstrels' gallery ever, and in turn to the Hall, with arch braced collar
beam trussed roof, having the lowest bays each side decorated with quatrefoil frieze rather that conventional
windbraces, fireplace and doorway of circa 1500, and solar in one corner; the old kitchen with very wide fireplace and
big chimney. Northwest room with another chimney piece of c1500; nearby a stone newal stair giving access to major
bedroom with ornamented open roof and carved wood frieze of c1600; other features include the Portman Room, with
plaster ceiling frieze and fireplace with heraldic overmantel, the attic dovecote, and a fine library of 1910 by Sir
Aston Webb. Dating very difficult because of subsequent restoration: earlier manor destrcyed by fire 1457, rebuilt
between 1473 and 1500; acquired by Portman Family in 1591 and held by them until 1829, being remodelled c1600; by 1800
a tenanted farmhouse, it was purchased by an architect, John Moore in 1875, vigorously restored by him until he died in
1878, then by his brother until he died in 1883; Sir Aston Webb rebuilt the South East wing in 1910 and nay have done
other restoration. Although some 'old' work is suspiciously new looking, and some supposedly restored parts look old,
the overall character is unspoiled by alteration: Pevsner calls it 'Exquisitely beautiful'. (Christopher Hussey,
Country Life: Vol LII P47; SANHS Proceedings 76 i 54, 1930; VAG Report, unpublished SRO, 1972; Sir R Nathan, The Annals
of West Coke, 1957; Margaret Wood, The English Medieval House, 1965; Pevsner, N, Buildings of England, South and West
Somerset, 1958; etc).

Listing NGR: ST5199113520

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Manor House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q6751345

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

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  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
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  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper