Listed Building record MDO39415 - Mappercombe Manor, Powerstock

An early 17th century manor house, with some surviving 15th century fabric. A number of structures are associated with the house, including a cider house, a dovecote and a barn. These date from the 18th century.

At one time Mappercombe was a manor and Hamlet or a member of Nettlecombe, but now consists solely of two farms. Near one was formerly a chapel, of which there are some remains. <1> The house. The S.E part of the front block dates from the 15th.c. the property passed to the families of DIXWELL in 1621, and BROWNE in 1637 Early in the 17th.c. the house was extended or rebuilt to the W, and after 1674 a new range was built to the N.W. This range was shortened in modern times, when the former porch on the S front was removed and large additions made on the NE. The upper room in the small E. wing is called the chapel, and has a recess with a trefoiled head in the S. wall. The outbuilding S.W. of the house is probably of the 17th.c. and bears the date 1736 - perhaps a repair date. <3> This large and well preserved mansion has had its alterations completed in stone and in style to match the whole. Windows are mullioned. The chapel referred to in T2 <1> is situated at A and measures 3.0m East-West and 4.0m North to South. From the description in T2 <1> this would not appear to be the original chapel which may have existed at B. This stone building is of two stories, is well preserved and is now used as a cider house. Though it lacks features of an ecclesiastical nature it is orientated East-West. The datestone referred to is set high in the East wall. <4> Known as MAPPERCOMBE MANOR - for personal reasons I do not wish it shown by the Ordnance Survey in antiquity type. As far as I know there is no foundation for the allegation that the outbuilding [At B] has ever been used for ecclesiastic purposes, and I personally believe that the chapel has always been contained within the fabric of the mansion [At A] <5.1>. No additional information obtained re. this alleged chapel, the building bears upon the E. gable apex a weathervane inscribed NB 1699 (possibly related to the BROWNE quoted in T.2), but apart from this feature and the date stone (T.2 & T.3) there are no indications of date and/or purpose. Mansion as T.2. <5> Mappercombe Manor House. Grade I. Additionally, the Cider House (1736), a cottage dated 1698 10m. N.W of the Manor House, and a dovecote (1747) 15m. East of the Manor House are all Grade II*. <6-7>

Record last edited

Dec 23 2022 4:37PM