A BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE HOUSE

 

The earliest reference we have found ( so far ! ) is in a deed from the Arundell archive, now at the County Records Office in Truro (AR 1/371 ). It is the gift of a mill from Ypolitus de Bosuuego to John de Caruodret ( i.e. Hypolitas of Bosvigo to John of Carvedras ). The deed is not dated but is late 13th. Century - about 1280.

Ypolitus or Hypolitus is a Greek name. What was a chap with a Greek name doing in Cornwall, living in a place ( Bosvigo ) named in Cornish ‘Vigo’s House’ ? Who was the man Vigo after whom the site was named ? And who was the man whose ghost haunts the blue bedroom ? There is still much to answer.

Nothing remains of any house of that early date. The House we bought in 1969 has evidence of seven or eight phases of expansion.

We think the kitchen at the back of the house was the early core of a small medieval farmhouse, originally one storey high and probably with a thatched roof. We believe it was extended forwards in about 1600 - 1650 by the addition of a two-storey house of cob construction at the front - the centre bay that is now stuccoed. We know that the two wings were built on around 1780 and they have been extended backwards later.

The house was extensively re-modelled by the Victorians who added a huge wing and the Conservatory, inserted a new staircase and landing and made a grand Salon upstairs in the West wing.

Since we acquired the house we have removed two ugly porches at the back, carried out extensive restoration inside and demolished the large wing so as to restore balance to the front façade. The house now resembles the earliest photograph we have which we think was taken in 1860 - see below.