Description

AWLISCOMBE SY 10 SW

5/1 Egland 22.2.55

II

Gentleman's villa. 1804, built by John and William Lee of Honiton for Thomasine Anne Elliott, enlarged 1931 for her descendants by Walter Sarel, architect, and Dart and Francis of Crediton (inscription). Probably stone, colourwashed and rendered; gabled slate roof; stacks with rendered shafts. The classical house of 1804 extended in an historical Roman Doric style. Plan: The original plan was a double depth south-facing, block, 2 rooms wide with a central into an entrance hall flanked by the principal rooms with a spacious stair hall behind. The position of the services is unclear. The 1931 extensions were managed internally with considerable attention to the original and, with the re- siting of some features, it is difficult to judge the details of where the early house ends and the extensions begin. The principal alteration was Roman Doric the sideways to the front left (south-west) and right (south-west) corners. The kitchen wing, at the rear (north) entrance. The partition between the old entrance hall in the centre front and the principal left hand room was removed and the position of the stack in the principal left hand room was moved from the left end to the rear (north) wall of the room. The principal entrance is through the south-east portico. Exterior: 2 storeys. Symmetrical 7-bay south (garden) front, the outer bays of 1931 with porticos returning at each corner. Rusticated quoins to the 5-bay main block which has a platband, a moulded cornice, and parapet. The centre bay is broken forward with the parapet stepped. Presumably 1931 central Roman Doric porch with a triglyph frieze and a late C20 2-leaf glazed front door with glazing bars. Set of early C19 sash windows to the centre 5 bays with moulded architraves: 12-pane to the first floor, 18-pane to the ground floor which have shouldered, eared architraves. The outer bays have 1931 12-pane sashes, matching the 1804 windows, to the first floor. The front door and doorcase under the south-east portico on the south wall is probably 1804, perhaps moved from the central bay: 6-panel door with a fanlight with spider's web glazing, the doorcase pedimented with left and right columns. Under the portico an inscription records the date of the house "This house was built in 1804 by John William Lee of Honiton for Thomasine Anne Elliott and enlarged in 1931 by Edith Sophie Mary (Esme) Nicholl and her great niece and Reginald James Bowker, her great nephew with the assistance of Walter Sarel, architect of London and Dart and Francis of Crediton". The returns of the house and rear elevation have a mixture of early C19 and 1931 timber sashes. Interior: Numerous features of interest both of the early C19 and the 1930s including joinery, cornices, chimney-pieces and a fine early C19 suspended stick baluster stair. The large stair hall is panelled with a good cornice that extends into the entrance hall. The stair hall panelling may be 1804, extended into the 1931 entrance hall, or it may be 1931. The entrance hall is lit by a round-headed window on the north wall filled with interesting early C19 stained glass including a pictorial panel of a seated man smoking a pipe. The front right room is the library, shelved with a round-headed niche in one corner with trompe d'oeil) painted vaulting. The plaster cornice suggests that the fittings may be 1931. The 1804 entrance hall, now part of the drawing room to the left, retains an 1804 niche on the north wall, with a panelled surround, keyblock and 1804 trompe d'oeuil painted vaulting. The plaster cornice of the drawing room in an early C19 style must be 1931 as it follows the line of the 1931 chimneybreast on the north wall. The rear left dining room of 1931 has a fine, presumably re-sited, circa 1804 china cupboard with glazed doors and shaped shelves. First floor not inspected but may retain features of interest, either from 1804 or 1931. Walter Sarel worked with Dart and Francis at Coombe Trenchard in Lew trenchard parish (q.v.), a house in an eclectic vernacular revival style. An extremely interesting house, not only for the 1804 core but also as an example of 1930s historicism. Group value with a cluster of detached villas in the south-east of the parish.

Listing NGR: ST1488701346

External Links

• Wikidata Q26390300

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Recommended Books

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  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)