|
Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
|
Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
|
|
Godolphin HouseAlso known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Godolphin Hall; Cairdine Castle; Godolgan In the
civil parish of Breage. Country house, built as a courtyard house in the late C15 and extended considerably in C16. It was further extended in the mid C17 and has some C18 alterations. The house was reduced in size and converted into a farmhouse. Apart from C20 renovations it has been little altered since the early C19. Adjoining the house are C17 or possibly late C16 cobbled pavements and stabling including a fodder store. The forecourt walls and mounting block are C17. By the middle of C16, Godolphin House was an impressive building consisting of three main wings around a central courtyard which was closed off to the north by a crenulated wall. At this time, Sir William Godolphin - a soldier in the service of Henry VIII - made some alterations to the house and further work was carried out in the later stages of C16 by Sir Francis Godolphin (Governor of the Scilly Isles).This site has been described as a Fortified Manor House.A high status fortified residence not capable of withstanding an army but able to resist an armed band. They are generally moated and have a gatehouse with loops and crenellations. They tend to be sited with much less consideration for tactical and strategic defence and with domestic considerations, such as ease of access, to the fore. The difference between a small castles and a fortified manor house is a subjective one and may well be an artificial division in that for contemporary medieval citizens it may not have existed. David King did not use this term and preferred the term Strong House, since not all fortified high status houses were manorial, but use of his term Strong House has not been widely adopted possible because it is widely used as a synonym for bastle. Such buildings did not require a licence to crenellate and having a licence to crenellate does not mean a building was certainly fortified. However, I have recorded all buildings issued a licence to crenellate under this group since they clearly were at least intended to be [re]constructed in a fortified style.
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW60103184
Sources of information, references and further reading
|
"Cuntelleugh an brewyon us gesys na vo kellys travyth"
(Gather up the fragments that are left that nothing be lost.)
The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies is a Registered Charity No. 247283
THE GATEHOUSE 
