The original Georgian property was built in the 1830’s as the Caerhays village rectory and always known as ‘The Vean’. It had sadly fallen into a poor state of repair when it was sold by the Church Commissioners to the Caerhays Estate in 1948 and then it became completely derelict. The Vean was later purchased by Lizzy Williams and work began on restoring the building to its former glory.
The architect responsible for the restoration of The Vean was Mark Ledgard of Stratton & Holborow, Exeter. The following is Marks account of the work involved.
The condition of the existing structure at the time of considering the potential for the building was effectively a ruin, all that was left was an overgrown shell of the four external walls of the building within what was discernable as the original site for the Rectory.
The early OS Plans showed the building’s footprint and the site relatively accurately.
The building was last occupied in the mid 1950’s and since that time had fallen into disrepair. The roof structure appeared to have collapsed inward and timbers and slating had been removed or rotted away, the internal timber floors at upper floor level were missing and shrubbery and trees had grown around the building disturbing the foundation for the external walls. The internal walls enclosing the former staircase had collapsed.
We discussed individual’s recollections of the building and based on interpretation and interpolation of the fabric from that which remained, and a detailed survey of the fabric in terms of wall construction and remnants of the original joinery, preliminary plans were generated to show the layout and massing of the building as we believed it may have been.
The remaining joinery and fabric suggested that the building was built in the early 19th Century with Ashlar faced rubble stone walls on the prominent elevation facing across the valley to the drive to the castle to the South East, a slate hung elevation at upper level and rendered at Ground Floor level on rubble stone to the South West and lime and earth bedded rubble stone walls to the North West and North East.
Some of the earlier joinery remaining on the site suggested that there may have been some structure on the site which predated the early 19th Century fabric, but we found no other documentary evidence to suggest that there was a building on the site prior to that date.
Inspection of the remaining fabric once the vegetation had been cleared from around the site revealed that all sections of the walling, apart from a section of the front elevation at ground floor level had been irreparably damaged by either water ingress as a result of the lack of a roof or vegetation growth which undermined the walls or had become intertwined within the rubble stone walling. The remaining walls had become unstable owing to the lack of floor and roof restraint.
The proposals constituted the reconstruction of the building to match the massing, scale and materials and in particular joinery detailing of the building which is likely to have been constructed in the early 19th Century and as far as possible to carry out that work authentically but also to do it in a manner that complied with the requirements of the current Building Regulations and provided a level of services appropriate for the proposed use.
The works involved initially recording the remaining existing fabric and in particular numbering the Ashlar cut stonework on the South East elevation; assessing its condition and then taking it down to a store offsite in a masons yard for repair and for matching up new sections of stone where missing, and the demolition of remaining walls around the perimeter of the building with the exception of the front wall to first floor level which was shored and protected. Excavation of the site to provide foundations and re-construct the basement followed and then the construction of a new drainage system and the reconstruction of the building using a modern specification beneath the reinstated external surfaces.
The internal layout of the space was determined both by the likely original internal layout and by the need to provide 8 couples who would stay in the building. The commercial requirements for the proposed use dictated the need for a commercial kitchen, a laundry, managers office but also to retain the feel of a superficial appearance of a Georgian Rectory with a central curved timber staircase and then a sitting room, drawing room, dining room and well proportioned bedrooms but each with an interconnecting bathroom.
The specification and materials were selected to address the requirements of the site and were particularly important bearing in mind the prominence of the location but also the proposed function of the building and the requirements of the current Building Regulations. Chimney stacks were incorporated in the positions originally anticipated, the roof structure was constructed of a cut timber frame traditionally but with modern insulation materials and the flat roof at the head of the perimeter roof faces was covered in lead sheet which was stepped in the traditional manner and with a central octagonal roof light which lights the stairwell beneath.
Internally, the floor structure was constructed of insulated mass concrete at lower levels and of a composite beam structure at upper levels to enable the integration of services and pipework to provide for the bathrooms and servicing.
Internally the finishings include fibrous plaster cornices, fireplaces and fire place surrounds, panelled doors, architraves and skirtings all detailed to match the early 19th Century specification of a building of this type.
Floor finishes at Ground Floor level are of stone and oak boarding with lime stone tiles in secondary areas and elsewhere bedrooms are carpeted to modern standards. There is a turned reaved hardwood handrail to the main staircase and the entrance hall and stairwell is panelled to dado rail.
Externally, the bond of the stonework, its pointing, the detailing of windows and doors and the selected natural slate and slate laying has been considered to match the original materials and construction.
The gardens were re-landscaped to create the levels and terracing and is indicated on early site plans and to provide a level area of grass to the North East of the main building.
The Coach House (Gilly Vean) has been repaired and its roof reconstructed replicating that on the original building and is used as ancillary domestic accommodation in connection with the Vean. Its materials including natural slate roofing, lime rendered and lime pointed external main walls, painted timber casement windows and doors all to match the original provision.
The driveway has been resurfaced and repaire d following the original line and park fencing divides the driveway from the adjoining fields, again following the likely original provision.