Description

TORQUAY

SX8963 COCKINGTON PARK, Cockington
885-1/16/372 Cockington Court
20/11/52

GV II*

Mansion set in its own landscaped grounds, now headquarters of
Devon Rural Skills Trust. C16 origins (south-west wing dated
1577) when seat of the Carys. Sold in 1654 to Exeter merchant
Roger Mallock. Extensive remodelling by Rawlin Mallock c1673.
Top floor removed and interior refurbished by Rev. Roger
Mallock c1820. Mostly local stone rubble, coursed in places
with C19 brick dressings and earlier Beerstone dressings, main
front of coursed Beerstone ashlar; red sandstone
chimneyshafts; hipped slate roofs.
PLAN: Main block faces south-east, double-depth with central
passage to large rear stairhall. Main rooms to front with end
stacks. Crosswings project forward each end with projecting
lateral stacks. North-east wing with kitchen and service
stair.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attics. Late C17 seven-bay classical
front of C20 mullion and transom windows (some blockings at
first floor level). Central doorway a marble round-headed arch
with voussoirs and imposts. 6-panel door with round-head
containing Y-tracery, side lights and glazing carried round
head. Flanking fluted Corinthian columns (introduced from
elsewhere) with plain entablature at first-floor cornice
level. Eaves cornice below parapet. Front ends of crosswings
have broad replacement 5-light timber mullion-and-transom
windows with stone hoodmoulds and relieving arches, more on
the inner returns (blind to north-east wing). The outer side
of the south-west wing has an irregular 7-window front, mostly
casements but includes a couple of 12-pane sashes and a tall
arch-headed window containing Gothic tracery to the first
floor corridor (similar window at the other end). The
north-east wing includes several late C16 stone
mullion-and-transom windows, one containing leaded glass but
the others blocked or containing later windows. There is also,
this side, a probably reset late C16 stone Tudor arch doorway
with carved trefoil spandrels. Both crosswings show straight
joins with later rear extensions. Rear, partly slate hung,
contains mostly timber casements but large early C19 stone
Gothic stair window with Y-tracery containing stained glass
featuring The Seasons.
INTERIOR: Most of interior shows result of C19 refurbishment,
notably Gothic vaulted entrance passage to large stair well
containing large open well stair, stone steps with iron
balustrade. Most of C19 joinery and plaster detail remains.
C19 Jacobean-style chimneypiece includes some late C16
marquetry. Late C17 ground-floor room right of entrance
passage with bolection panelling and high relief moulded
plaster ceiling. North-east wing contains most work earlier
than C19 including remains of late C16 kitchen fireplace
(ground floor front), late C17 panelling and late C16 granite
fireplace (first floor front) and late C17 service stair; a
dogleg stair with turned balusters.
Cockington Court is part of an exceptional group of listed
buildings both in the landscaped park (including the nearby
Church of St George and St Mary (qv) and the vernacular
buildings (including the Lutyens work) in the adjoining
unspoilt village.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1952-1989:
P.835).

Listing NGR: SX8907663845

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Cockington Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17549911

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

• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)