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Summary

Arwenack House, incorporating remains of a manor house is probably of Medieval origin but the house was rebuilt in 1567 and again in the C18.

Protected Status

• Conservation Area: FALMOUTH
• Listed Building (II*) 460140: ARWENACK HOUSE AND ARWENACK MANOR

Other References/Statuses

• Defence of Britain (Anti-Invasion)
• National Monuments Record: 428617
• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• NBR Index Number: 108560
• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW83SW 6
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 18700.10
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW83SW 12

Monument Type(s):

• COUNTRY HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

Great house built in 1385 and mostly rebuilt in 1571 by Sir John Killigrew, the first Governor of Pendennis Castle - it was then described as the finest, most costly house in Cornwall. In 1646 the house was partly destroyed by fire during the siege of Pendennis Castle, though it was rebuilt after the war. The house was extended after 1786, it was neglected during the 1970s and suffered a fire at the manor end, the building was repaired in 1978 and has since been converted into flats and a house. Built of Killas rubble with granite dressings and scantle slate roofs. The building was originally E-shaped in plan with a wing to the far left. According to a C18 source (b1) Arwenack is mentioned in a Cornish play (MS in the Bodleian library). Persner says "slight remains" of this mansion survived its destruction during the Civil War (b4). Sheppard notes that the Parliamentary forces constructed siege-works at Arwneack (18701), and that the house was partly re-built in the late C18. The house is shown on an early drawing to have had a courtyard, with enclosing wall and central gatehouse (b5).Sheppard notes that the additions were on the N and S sides of the site. The SW wing of the house was badly damaged by fire in 1976 (b6). Arwenack has since been renovated/rebuilt, and a complex structural history has been recorded as these works were carried out. Remains of the cobbled yard, and surrounding robbed foundation trenches of the wall and a small building, were recorded in 1979 during renovation works (h3, b5).

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Site history:
1: 1978. NOTT-MACAIRE, J
2: 1978. NOTT-MACAIRE, J
3: 1979. HARTGROVES,S/CAU
4: 2001. HARVEY, A/DOB
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NMR Measured Survey, NMR06 (National Monument Record Archive). SCO31670.

RIC Collection, 1818-, Report of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, 161-4 (Article in Serial). SCO5716.

<1> UNKNOWN, 1790, UNKNOWN TITLE, 60, PT 2, 712 (Unedited Source). SCO5637.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<3> Gover, JEB, 1948, Place-Names of Cornwall, 497 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3402.

<4> Pevsner, N, 1951, The Buildings of England: Cornwall, 54, 56 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4126.

<6> Sheppard, PA, 1980, The Historic Towns of Cornwall, 15 (Report). SCO4422.

<7> Padel, OJ, 1985, Cornish Place-Name Elements, 8-9 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4064.

<8> Historic England, National Heritage List Entry, SCO29994 (Website). SCO29994.

<9> National Monument Record, National Monument Record Index Card,
Object Number Object Title Scope And Content
BF108560 (Index). SCO29945.

<10> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/ Roberts, JM, 1980 (Survey). SCO29739.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds

• FCO82 - SHERD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• ECO1042 - Arwennack

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