MSO8142 - Combe Sydenham (Building)

[ST 0762 3675] Combe Sydenham (NR). [1] Combe Sydenham Manor House, supposedly built 1315 [3] is an 'L'-shaped mainly Elizabethan building, with a tower set in the inner angle, and the date 1580 over the porch which also carried the marriage arms of John Sydenham c. 1430. Other features are 15th Century, as also are the farm buildings in front of the house. [2] This interesting house has had many alterations so that much of its Elizabethan character has been lost. See AO/65/64/4 [4] and GP/AO/65/66/647. [5] ST03NE STOGUMBER CP COMBE SYDENHAM 5/158 Combe Sydenham 22.5.69 GV I Manor house. Late C15-early C16, porch added 1580 to South front, West front refenestrated, at least 2 stair turrets added 1580 or circe 1630-40, another stair inserted in angle turret circa 1800, South front refenestrated and buildings to North and East demolished, C19 West wing and possibly South wing reroofed. Roughcast over rubble, moulded plinth, Ham stone ashlar porch, slate roof hipped to left. Plan: South front open hall, now ceiled, screens passage opening from porch, buttery right, stair turret at rear of fireplace to left of screen passage, West wing first floor hall, later stair inserted in second stair turret set in angle. South front: 2 storeys, 4:1:1 bays; full height gabled porch, early C19 leaded wooden casements, 4-light in outer bays, others 3-light, 4-light ovolo moulded mullioned and transomed window to porch, coat of arms in decorative frame below, inscribed and dated 1580, unfluted Ionic pilasters on tall plinths carrying billetted frieze, moulded semi-circular arched opening with busts set in roundels in spandrels, ornamented cross vault, more complex mouldings with stops to similar arched inner doorway, heraldic beasts in spandrels, studded plank door possibly C17, left return (West front) half hipped to left roughcast with quoins, single storey stepped buttresses, large external stepped stack between first and second bays right. 3:4:1 bays, all windows under square hood moulds, first floor left three 16-light ovolo moulded mullioned and transomed windows, 12 pane sash windows centre, mullioned and transomed windows left, cinquefoil headed lancet right filled with decorative design said to represent earlier formal garden layout on West front, 2 hollow chamfered mullioned and transomed windows right with cinquefoil heads, arched entrance with plank door. Gothic tracery fanlight, 2 similar windows right, inner one blocked below cusped head. Cross gabled 3 storey stair turret on rear elevation, 12 pane sash windows on South front, 2 storey stair turret to left, presumed to have had a now demolished upper storey. Interior: partially viewed. Remains of late C16-early C17 plasterwork friezes, early C19 plasterwork decoration to staircase with stick stair and cut strips, fine stone newel stair in turret to rear of hall fireplace, depressed Tudor arched head to fireplace lintel moulded jambs, similar 2 openings to buttlery right, and truncated stair turret; screens passage and opening to stair turret in angle with semi-circular moulded arched leads similar to porch. Upper storey South wing not viewed, hall roof thought to have been renewed C19; West wing gutter prior to restoration (January 1984). The daughter of Sir George Sydenham, who enlarged the house, married Sir Francis Drake. (Photograph in NMR) [6] Additional Bibliography. [7-11] The building was visited in June 2013 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 5. [14] The roofspace was photographed in March 2016. [16] The west wing "Restoration Chamber" includes a fragmentary 17th Century frieze. The Ground floor "Court Room" includes an enterprising modern barrel ceiling and frieze in thin rib Elizabethan manner by David Duncombe. [17]