Description

WHITCHURCH
SX 57 SW

6/174 Walreddon Manor
-
21.3.67
GV I

Manor house. License for chapel granted in 1401, present building may incorporate
earlier structure; front porch formerly dated 1796 with initials MF for Mary Fitz. 3
main phases of building: first phase had a rectangular hall with through passage and
service end; second phase in early-mid C17 included the rear kitchen wing, built
behind the original lower end to right, with the front wing to right forming a cross
wing. Third phase in the early C18 the higher end of the house was remodelled and
possibly raised, and the front redesigned. Later alterations include the removal of
a partition between the entrance passage and the hall in C20, forming direct entry
from the front door to one large room. Front of rough coursed granite rubble with
Hurdwick banding; these facades have modillion cornice under eaves. Rear and left
side in random rubble, granite dressings to building before early C18. Slate roofs
with gable end stack to left, rear lateral hall stack, gable end stack to front wing
and rear gable end stack to rear kitchen wing with lower stack to side.
Plan formed by accretion; originally through passage with upper end to left and lower
end to right. The hall was heated by a rear lateral stack, and the service end to
right also retains a rear lateral stack. There is a gabled stair tower to the rear
of the upper end. The wing at the front of the lower end to right, of one room plan
is heated by a gable end stack and a stair giving access to the upper floors of the
cross wing is set at the right end; the rear kitchen wing is entered from the rear of
the original lower end. The C18 remodelling created a symmetrical front and rooms at
first floor; the roof construction visible at attic level is of late C17/early C18.
Later C18 and C19 alterations included additions to the rear of the kitchen wing and
to the rear of the upper end, forming additional service areas. C20 alterations to
plan include opening the passage to form one large room from the former hall and
passage and mid C20 removal of front porch.
Front of 2 storeys and attic, with 7 windows, at first floor all 16-pane sashes with
segmental heads in exposed boxes, at ground floor 3 similar 24-pane sashes left and
right of 6-panelled door in moulded surround with fanlight and engaged Tuscan column
to each side with open pediment over. There was formerly a gabled porch with 4-
centred arched granite doorway. Plinth and modillion cornice, with gable end stack
to left with concrete cap. The front wing to right is of 2 storeys with attic and
has no windows to the inner side; ground floor in gable end front has single granite
light with ogee mouldings and iron stanchions, C20 leaded lights, at first floor a
16-pane replacement sash and at attic level to left a 4-pane light; large quoins,
front wall in random rubble. Right side of front wing is of 3 bays, with bay to
right lighting stair. At ground floor there are two 2-light granite casements with
ogee mouldings and roll-moulded mullions, iron stanchions and C20 spandrels and
straight-cut step stops, with C20 door, a similar 2-light granite casement reset as
overlight and with a slate pitched hood. 2 bays to left have at first and second
floor 16-pane sashes with segmental heads, 2-light casement at upper level to left
under eaves; bay to right has first floor similar sash and second floor 2-light
casement lighting stair. Modillion cornice on this facade not returned around gable
end to front; gable end stack has shaped cap. Lower end of main range projects to
right; at inner side this has at ground floor a tall 2-light granite window with ogee
mouldings and roll-moulded mullion, C20 leaded lights, 2-light casement at first and
second floor with Hurdwick stone segmental heads; gable end has at ground, first and
second floor a 4-light similar granite casement with flat king mullion and dripstone.
Set back to right, a 1½-storey addition with C19 4-light granite casement, rear of
addition has similar 2-light window. The rear of the kitchen wing is visible above
this addition, and has a rear lateral stack with shaped cap and 2 secondary stacks to
right; to right, the inner gable end of the kitchen wing has a single granite light
at first floor with ogee mouldings, and a blocked attic light. Attached to the right
of the addition, a further 2-storey addition, probably of the C19, with ground floor
lancet and basket-arched granite doorway, 3-pane light under eaves; the gable end of
this addition, to right, has two 2-light granite casements at ground floor with roll-
moulded mullions, one similar casement at first floor. The left gable end of the
main range has 2-storey addition, possibly originally for garderobe, with 2-light
granite casement with roll-moulded mullion at attic level.
The rear of the main range has an external lateral stack heating the hall, and built
out from the rear of the stack a 2-storey gabled addition, possibly a late C16/early
C17 unheated service room to the rear of the hall; this has two 2-light casements at
ground floor and one at first floor, all in granite with roll-moulded mullions. Porch
attached to right in position of former rear passage, has granite doorway with
elliptical head, ovolo and fillet mouldings, with 2-light granite casment with roll-
moulded mullion to side, possibly reset; above the porch, an addition at upper level
for passage along first floor rear, slate-hung, with a single light. To right, a
wide gabled stair tower with stepped windows, 2 to right and left, all with roll-
moulded mullions, those at ground floor with iron stanchions; blocked single light
above. End bay to right has lean-to at ground floor with C20 door, lancet at first
floor to right and single granite ogee-moulded light under eaves.
Interior In main range, front door leads into former hall; this has marble chimney
piece to rear lateral stack; on end wall to right, plasterwork (repaired) with arms
of Edward VI, with shield, helm and cross, lion and winged dragon to sides. Moulded
cornice, one central original early C18 sash, shutters to front window all of C18.
End room to left has acanthus cornice with feathers, C20 panelling.
To rear left, late C17 dog-leg stair, with turned balusters, flat-moulded handrail
and moulded string. At first floor of main range, all rooms have bolection-moulded
panelling and fireplaces; at gable end to left, former garderobe, now closed,
originally heated by gable end stack. Doors at first floor are wide and 8-panelled
of early C18. At attic level, doorway at right end is ovolo-moulded with convex
stops, studded door with strap hinges; 10-bay roof (similar in construction to the
barn attached to north west) with principal rafters, collars, some cambered, one
principal with curved foot, possibly of late C17 construction indicating raising of
roof at this time. The front of the attic has a small granite fireplace with hollow-
chamfered surround.
At ground floor, to the rear of the hall to right, the passage between the hall and
the cross wing has a granite doorway with 4-centred arch, roll-moulded with leaves in
spandrels. The best side faces inwards, suggesting that this is the rear of the
passage of the first phase of building, and that there was an early rear wing,
entered through this doorway, before the early-mid C17 kitchen wing.
The front wing to right has a C20 reconstructed dog-leg stair, some solid wooden
treads remaining from earlier stair at ground floor level; at base, a dog-gate,
probably C17, in 4 sections, of splat baluster design, formerly set at base of rear
stair. At ground floor, the front room in the wing has reconstructed bolection-
moulded panelling, also at first floor, with bolection-moulded fireplace at gable
end.
The lower end was not remodelled in the C18; at ground floor, the end room to right
has a heavy studded door, formerly giving access to rear stable yard; large fireplace
to rear with flat granite lintel, hollow-chamfered and stopped, with granite jambs
and original pot-jack, doorway to front and rear is in granite, with 4-cented arch,
hollow-chamfered; 3 chamfered and run-out stopped cross beams. At first floor, room
has 4 cross beams, chamfered, and granite fireplace to rear with flat chamfered
granite lintel, room partitioned.
The rear kitchen wing of mid C17 has fireplace to inner side with chamfered granite
basket arch. To the rear of the hall, the unheated service room was converted for
use as a back parlour.
(Sources: Pevsner, N.: Buildings of England: South Devon 1952. Copeland, G.W. notes
in T.D.A.).

Listing NGR: SX4775671316

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527606

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

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)