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Summary

Country house, 16th century with earlier stone vaulted cellars under north wing. Interior remodelled in 18th century and north-west wing built in 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1162274: WARLEIGH HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX46SE/3
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 99124

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COUNTRY HOUSE (XV to XIX - 1401 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Bray, A. E., 1834, Untitled Source, 17-18 (Monograph). SDV342710.

"A substantial and noble piece of architecture , originally built in the reign of King Stephen, but altered and enlarged in the times of Henry the Seventh and Henry the Eighth, and having very recently received the addition of a rich doorway, quite in character with the original building." The owner possesses "records dating as far back as the reign of King Stephen."

Worth, R. N., 1875-1876, The Siege of Plymouth, 279 (Article in Serial). SDV336622.

Reichel, O. J., 1928 - 1938, The Hundred of Roborough (Walchentona) in Early Times, 122, 131 (Article in Monograph). SDV336618.

The site of a medieval estate which was included in Tambretona in the Domesday Survey. Had a separate existence as a manor at least as early as 1340.

Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 242-3 (Monograph). SDV1312.

Copeland, G. W., 1946, Fifteenth Annual Report of the Plymouth and District Branch, 104-107 (Article in Serial). SDV336106.

Warleigh, 16th century house. There is an ancient pot-leat from the Meavy to Warleigh. The house has preserved its late 16th century elevation on the south front. Part of the north front which extends in an easterly direction to form a private chapel, remains practically unaltered except for a later porch with an ancient doorway inserted in it. The north west portion of the house is of Strawberry Hill gothic character with a square mullioned bay window and pseudo Tudor battlements. The south front, E-shaped on plan, has five gables and a central porch of three stages. The house may have been once quadrangular. The chief features of the south front are the porch doorway and the cistern heads and chutes. Description of the interior given. There are many original granite doorways. The kitchen contains two granite four-centred, roll-moulded fireplaces in adjacent walls. A large granite salting trough is in the north wing. The cellars are relics of the earlier house and consist of two-three rectangular chambers with segmental stone vaults in which are single rectangular openings. The chapel, now disused, has a large pointed restored perpendicular window. The north front has 11 original windows, five of two lights and the rest of three. All have labels and the lights are elliptical headed.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 484 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Department of Environment, 1956, Plympton St Mary RD, 4 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV140824.

Warleigh House is a large rambling house of many periods. The stone vaulted cellars under the north range are medieval but most of the work above ground is 16th century and later. Much alteration took place in the 18th century and early 19th century.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SX46SE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336621.

Warleigh House is a large rambling house of many periods. The stone vaulted cellars under the north range are Medieval but most of the work above ground is 16th century and later. Much alteration took place in the 18th and early 19th century.

Department of Environment, 1984, Bickleigh, 8-10 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336623.

Country house in use as a nursing home; former seat of the Radcliffes. Sixteenth century with earlier stone vaulted cellars under north wing, and refashioned by John Foulston in 1825 - 32 when north-west wing was built. Stone now roughcast with ashlaring. Slate gabled roof. E-shaped on plan with further wings to north and north-west. Two and a half storeys 1:2:1:2:1 bays. Flanking one bay wings and central 3-storeyed porch all gabled. Early 19th century sash windows with Gothick square hoodmoulds. Central large moulded granite 4-centred arch doorway with carved spandrels and arms in relief in the tympanum. The inner door also moulded granite with carved spandrels. Moulded lead rainwater heads, downpipes and gutter. Circa 1825-32 north-west wing at rear with embattled parapets and Gothick windows. Long 2-storey, 6-bay rear wing across north side with 16th century two and 3-light granite mullion windows with 4-centred arch lights and hoodmoulds, and with moulded granite doorways with carved spandrels. At the east end of this wing is the chapel with 19th century Perpendicular traceried window in gable end.
Interior: Retains 2-storeyed hall, with wide moulded granite fireplace, but remodelled in 18th century with moulded plaster frieze and cornice and wooden balustrade to gallery. Two moulded granite 4-centred arch doorways to screens passage. Wide 18th century dogleg staircase from hall with moulded string balusters, moulded handrail ramped up to square newels and fielded panel dado. Staircase well light by circular lantern and with modillion cornice. North-west room has Gothick marble chimneypiece and Gothick cornice. Library in south-east wing has bolection moulded panelling, plaster cornice breaks forward over chimney breast with early 19th century chimney piece. Kitchen wing on north-east side has very wide moulded 4-centred arch fireplaces and service doorways, one with old nail-studded door. Other details: LBS 99124.

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 889 (Monograph). SDV325629.

A large rambling house in its own grounds, of medieval origin, but chiefly Tudor and early 19th century. Now divided up into retirement flats.

Stoyle, M. J., 1993, A List of Civil War Fortifications at Plymouth, 10 (Report - non-specific). SDV336620.

Garrisoned by Royalists during Civil War. Assaulted by Parliamentarians in May 1644 (citing Worth). Other details: Site 88.

Gray, T., 1995, The Garden History of Devon: An Illustrated Guide to Sources, 227-8 (Monograph). SDV671.

Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T., 1998, Objective 5B: Lower Tamar Valley Recreation and Land Management Iinitiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal, 67 (Report - non-specific). SDV319814.

First recorded as Wardlegh in 1242. Manor belonged to Foliots in early Middle Ages, then to Gorges and Bonvilles. Came to Copplestones by marriage in 1472. Passed to Bampfyldes and sold to Radclifes in 1741.

Child, P., 2001, Warleigh House, Bickleigh (Un-published). SDV346878.

Visited 2001. Its core is Elizabethan, but it was extensively altered first in the early 17th century and then circa 1830, with the exterior of the latter date covered in a curious rough-cast lined render. In the 1950s the building was divided into flats with some very low quality partitioning. Nevertheless the interior is of considerable interest. The building shows signs of structural failure in various parts, probably due to water entry, althtough the Delabole slate roof is generally in good condition, as is its lead work.
Unauthorised works have been carried out recently, including removal of a very fine marble fireplace from the dining room. This feature was mentioned in the List description. A free-standing granite arch is also said to have been removed from the rear of the building, where it led from the yard into the garden.
In front of the house is an extensive garden, mostly lawned with shrubs and enclosed by substantial brick walls of presumably circa 1700 date. The further section is at a lower level; this has beds, but is very overgrown.

Howard, R. + Litton, C. + Arnold, A. + Tyers, C., 2006, Warleigh House, Tamerton Foliot, Bickleigh, South Hams, near Plymouth, Devon. Tree-ring Analysis of Timbers (Report - Survey). SDV336624.

The tree-ring analysis of samples from 67 different oak timbers form Warleigh House (of which 62 were measured) produced two chronologies. The first spanned the years AD1367-1539 and the second from AD1671-1774. Interpretation of the sap wood indicates that the majority of the dated timbers were felled in the mid to third quarter of the 16th century, including the main roof to the south hall of the east range, the gable roofs of the central porch and the south arm of the east range. It is possible that this phase of felling is connected with the move of the Copplestone family from Crediton to Warleigh and the construction of their new house there. Other oak timbers were felled in AD 1774. These could be part of a late 18th century remodelling of the house or simply represent roof repairs. Samples from 21 pine timbers were also analysed which between them appear to represent early 19th century refashioning.

2007, Tree ring date lists 2007 (Article in Serial). SDV361589.

Reference citing Tree-ring analysis of timbers from Warleigh House, Tamerton Foliot, Bickleigh, South Hams, near Plymouth, (A. J. Arnold, R. E. Howard, C. D. Litton, and C. Tyers, English Heritage Research Department Report Series 38/2006. 52pp).

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 105 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Medieval site.The present 16th century house incorporates late medieval roof structures and was remodelled in the mid 18th century and again, importantly, by John Foulston of Plymouth from 1825-31. Poor condition. Immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric; solution agreed but not yet implemented. Other details: Photograph.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 98 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 103 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Poor condition. For sale May 2011. Urgent Works Notice outstanding and conditional listed building consent agreed for reinstatement of significant features. Priority B (immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric; solution agreed but not yet implemented),

Clark, J. + Richardson, D., 2013, Warleigh House (Un-published). SDV358401.

On a wonderful site overlooking the Tamar, still just outside the built up area of Plymouth. A large rambling house in its own grounds of medieval origin, but chiefly Tudor and early C19; now divided into retirement flats.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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