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Summary

A large country house, an extensive rebuilding by Repton in 1820-25 of an early 18th century house which was itself a rebuilding of a 16th century house, the remains of which survive in the basement. The present house is square on plan, of limestone with granite dressings in a Tudor/Jacobean style with turrets, clusters of chimneys and pinnacles. Now a hotel.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Historic parkland and features, surrounding Kitley House (Listed Building), Yealmpton
• Listed Building (I) 1306538: KITLEY HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55SE/18
• Old Listed Building Ref (I)
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANSION HOUSE (XVI to XIX - 1501 AD to 1825 AD)

Full description

Unknown, Unknown (Migrated Record). SDV1416.

Illustrations by swete (dro).

"THE COMIC ADVENTURES OF OLD MOTHER HUBBARD AND HER DOG", Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158911.

Large country house in landscaped park.1820-25 extensive remodelling by g. S. Repton, for e. P. Bastard, of a 1710 house, which itself was a rebuilding of a circa c16 house, traces of which exist in the basement. Ashlar with granite dressings. Bitumenised slate roof. Tudor/jacobean style. Approximately square on plan. Symmetrical elevations with gables, octagonal turrets on the corners with granite pinnacles and ogee finials, and large octagonal granite chimney stacks with moulded caps and bases. Two storeys, attics and basement. The north entrance front 3:1:3 bays with crenellated porch and chimney stack above over the central projection. South elevation similar, but has central crenellated oriel and gable above flanked by chimney stacks on shallow oriels. The south elevation is built over a four-centred arch arcaded loggia with pinnacles at either end. The west elevation is gabled right and left with shallow crenellated bays, set back at first floor level with clock turret in the roof. The ground floor projects with a gabled bay, and below at lower garden level large round-headed windows in moulded four-centred arch opening. The west and south sides are built on terraces overlooking the landscaped gardens which fall away steeply from the house. The east side has gables left and right with shallow crenellated bays. Central three bays project with gabled shallow oriel at centre. The wooden dormers are crenellated and the windows have moulded wooden mullions and transoms. Some c16 material survives in the basement, including mullion windows and four-centred arch doorways. Interior: largely c18 and early c19. Early c18 panelled staircase hall with giant fluted pilasters flanking round arched doorway, and a very fine early c18 staircase with diverging flights meeting on a landing with three twisted and fluted balusters per tread and corinthian column newels. Regency library with remarkably intact circa 1825 decorations. The estate came into the possession of the pollexfens in the early c16 and in 1710 passed to pollexfen bastard whose father had married the pollexfen heiress. Sarah martin wrote the mother hubbard rhymes ("the comic adventures of old mother hubbard and her dog") here in 1805. The character mother hubbard is believed to have been based on the housekeeper at kitley.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158915.

Copeland, g. W. /tda/76(1944)99/13th report of the plymouth and district branch.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158917.

Doe/hhr:plympton st. Mary rd/(-/8/1956)32.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158918.

Welch, c. C. /dcnq/28(1959-1961)300-304/a devon gentleman's estate in 1710.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158919.

Dro=564m/7/13,16,21(illustrations by swete).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158920.

Osa=sx55se9.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158921.

Doe/hhr:yealmpton/(19/7/1984)91.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158922.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /the buildings of england:devon/(1989)526.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158923.

Cherry, b. /pdas/46(1988)114/the devon country house in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries/plates 20,21.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158924.

Hussey, c. /country life/(7/10/1939)362.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV158925.

Hussey, c. /english country houses, late georgian, 1800-1840/(1958).

Welch, E., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV29065.

Inventory of goods of edmund pollexfen in 1710 given (welch).

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV326047.

Large house of tudor origin mostly rebuilt in xviii century and 1825 in a tudor manner. Fine late georgian library and staircase (doe).

Cherry, B., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV109648.

By the early c19 the lesser east doorway was being used as the main approach.(cherry).

Copeland, G. W., 1953, Old Houses visited in 1952 by the Plymouth Branch, 244-245 (Article in Serial). SDV224889.

Kitley House was rebuilt in 1820-1825 by Repton. Of limestone with wooden framed windows, and clusters of chimney stacks and pinnacles in Tudor style. However, remains of its 16th century predecessor survive in the basement, including mullioned two light windows, granite doorways, the vaulted cellars, and the lofty plaster vaulted kitchen, as altered in the 18th century.
The original House seems to have been H-shaped on plan with recessed forecourts facing east and west, with the present stair case hall at the centre. In the 18th century, the old ground floor was converted into a basement and a new entrance made at first floor level on the north side. The entrance hall is hung with armorial shields, the walls are lined with a grained wainscot and the windows adorned with heraldic glass. The main staircase is early 18th century with a fine pair of 18th century glass lamps hanging from the landing. Much of the interior is decorated in the late regency manner.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon (Monograph). SDV325629.

The ground floor of the tudor house became the basement of the georgian one.(cherry + pevsner).

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Now Kitley House Hotel.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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