Freemasons' Hall

Details

LOSTWITHIEL QUAY STREET, Lostwithiel SX 15 NW 10/128 Freemasons' Hall (formerly listed - 18.10.49 as the Duchy Palace) GV I

Freemasons' Hall, formerly the Convocation Hall of the Duchy Palace, having been used as the meeting place of the Stannators, or tinners' representatives after the decay of the Great Hall. Circa 1280, with later alterations; in 1878 the hall was sold to the Freemasons, who carried out restorations and alterations. Slatestone rubble with granite and Pentewan stone dressings. Slurried slate roof with gable end to left and hipped to right end, with axial stack to left of ridge, rear lateral stack to rear right and end stack to right. Plan: at ground floor there is a continuous vaulted undercroft or cellar, originally entered only from the outside of the building; at upper level, there is a stair well at the left end leading to an antechamber, with the main hall to the north; the partition wall is unusually thick, although it is not, likely that this was originally an external wall, as the cellar vault continues unbroken with no partition, and it would appear from the Bucks engraving of 1734 that the south wall of the Convocation Hall abutted directly on to the north wall of the Great Hall; however there are remains of a window at upper level to south, (left end) which indicates that there may at one time have been space between the two buildings. The Bucks engraving shows a second floor, lighted on the front by 4 dormer windows; a straight stair leads from the antechamber to the second floor, where there is a small room over the antechamber, the rest of the upper floor being within the roof space. The front to Quay Street has heavy setback wall surfaces with 4 weathered buttresses dividing the front into 4 bays. Bay to left has gabled porch, of 1878 restoration, with pointed arched doorway of 2 chamfered orders with stops in Pentewan stone (said to have been removed from the south~end of the building) with studded double doors. Second bay has pointed arched door with relieving arch, giving access to cellar; at upper level, 2-light granite arched window with upper quatrefoil and cusped lights, of 1878. Third bay has single cusped light under eaves in granite surround, which may be one of the original windows. The fourth bay has a similar 2-light window of 1878. At the point between first and second bay, above the partition wall, a ridge stack of circa 1600, in granite ashlar, with cornice and shaped top. The right end has weathered set-back buttresses, wall set back above ground floor level as at front, with central wide 4-centred arched doorway with double doors of C19; blocked central window with granite lintel and a recess above with chamfered granite surround with carved stone coat of arms and helm, shield with 15 besants in pile, flanked by lions. Second block opening above, and chimney in slatestone rubble with granite quoins. At the top of the roof hip, a plume of three feathers carved in oak, said to have been erected by the Black Prince when he paid his first visit to Lostwithiel in 1353. The upper stage of the building has granite quoins. Rear not wholly accessible,, rear lateral external stack with brick chimney to rear left, heating the hall only. Interior Much altered; all fireplaces have been blocked, at 2nd floor chimneypiece remains in room above antechamber, blocked fireplace to rear left of hall and projection in wall to rear right which may also have been a fireplace. In the rear wall of the antechamber is a 3-light chamfered granite window. The cellar has continuous plastered barrel vault. Roof mainly of late C18/early C19, with straight principals morticed at the apices, straight collars pegged to the faces of the principals; formerly had 2 rows of trenched purlins. (Sources: Pounds, N.J.G.: The Duchy Palace at Lostwithiel, Cornwall, in The Archaeological Journal, volume 136 for 1979. Hext, F.M.: Memorials of Lostwithiel 1891).

Listing NGR: SX1048059724

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

70880

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Hext, FM, Memorials of Lostwithiel, (1891)
The Archaeological Journal in The Archaeological Journal, Vol. 136, (1979)

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