Trehill House
| Trehill House | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Type | Country house |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Location | Kenn, Devon, England |
| Completed | 1827 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Charles Robert Ayres |
Trehill House is a Grade II* listed Greek Revival country house in the parish of Kenn, near Exeter, Devon, England. Built in 1827 for the Ley family, it is considered one of the most important examples of domestic Greek Revival architecture in Devon.
History
There has been a house at Trehill since at least the medieval period. In the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean era the property was occupied by Richard Waltham (1560–1637), Recorder of Exeter, whose monument survives in St Andrew’s Church, Kenn.
From the early 18th century until 1953 Trehill was the principal seat of the Ley family, whose Devon lineage extended back to the 15th century. Members of the family were prominent in the legal profession, and three served as Clerks to the Table in the House of Commons. A painting of the House of Commons in 1801 in the National Portrait Gallery includes John Ley of Trehill in this role.
An earlier red sandstone house on or near the present site was largely destroyed by fire in 1826. The present house was commissioned by John Ley and rebuilt in 1827 in the Greek Revival style to designs by the architect Charles Robert Ayres. Material from the earlier building and from a nearby quarry was reused. The new structure was erected on a slightly higher and more southerly position.
The Ley family remained at Trehill until 1953, when the house and surrounding acreage were sold. In the late 1950s the building was divided into nine flats. By the early 1980s it had become partly derelict. In 1984 the property was acquired by Roger Chubb, a former auctioneer and arts administrator, in partnership with Jay Ruparelia. A programme of restoration followed, combining conservation of the principal interiors with the creation of self-contained residential units within the building and associated estate structures.
Architecture
Trehill House is built of stuccoed red sandstone and is approximately square in plan, about 74 feet (23 m) on each side, with a four-storey bow on the east elevation. The west front is approached by steps leading to a Doric portico. A balustraded parapet conceals the upper storey and mansard roof. A raised basement level lies partly below ground and formerly contained offices and service rooms.
The plan is arranged around a central, top-lit stair hall with a cantilevered staircase rising to a gallery. The principal floor (piano nobile) contains the main reception rooms, noted for their symmetry, large sash windows with narrow glazing bars, and varied decorative cornices.
Interior features described in published accounts include plaster bas-relief friezes in the entrance hall reputed to be copied from the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, wall niches originally intended for classical statuary, and a library with a three-windowed bow and tiered bookcases in an Adam-influenced style. The library retains an Ashburton marble chimneypiece with ormolu mounts and Regency fittings. Other principal rooms include drawing and dining rooms with Regency grates, decorative cornices, and Gothic Revival pelmets. Surviving service areas illustrate the building’s former role as a largely self-contained estate house.
Estate and grounds
Trehill stands in a wooded combe below Telegraph Hill, overlooking parkland and the village of Kenn. Historically the estate included stables, laundry, dairy buildings, kitchen offices, cottages, and other service structures in red Devon sandstone. A five-bay orangery was relocated to Trehill in the 19th century from Winslade Park following a family marriage connection.
The gardens and parkland contain mature specimen trees and shrub plantings, including camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons and magnolias, and incorporate terraces, drives, and a water garden with ornamental structures. Parts of the former stable block and lodges have been converted to residential use.
Listing status
Trehill House was designated a Grade II* listed building on 11 November 1952, in recognition of its architectural and historic interest. The listing identifies it as a particularly important Greek Revival country house retaining significant original features.
References
Sources
- Historic England, Trehill House, Kenn (List Entry No. 1306949).
- Devon Life magazine, feature articles on Trehill House, 1970s–1980s.
External links
- Historic England listing entry for Trehill House
Category:Country houses in Devon Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Devon Category:Grade II* listed houses Category:Greek Revival architecture in the United Kingdom Category:Houses completed in 1827
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