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Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
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Federation of Old Cornwall Societies
Registered Charity No. 247283 |
The comprehensive gazetteer of the medieval fortifications and castles of CornwallWith thanks to Philip Davis |
|
|
Merthen Manor House, Constantine
In the
civil parish of Constantine. Possible fortified manor house dated 1575 although it maybe earlier, altered circa early to mid C19 and again in C20. It has two storeys, and is constructed from cement washed shale rubble with a slate roof. Depicted on a document of circa 1545 as a large, castellated house with four round towers. The date 1575 may refer to a reduction and remodelling of the house rather than a complete rebuilding. Merthen has been held by the Vyvyans of Trelowarren since the C17, but it was formerly the seat of the Reskymers. In the C11 it was part of the manor of Winnianton and therefore not mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was held by the Crown. In 1225 Henry III made his brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall and gave him Winnianton which he exchanged with Gervase de Tintagel for Tintagel Castle. In the early C15 Merthen eventually passed to Ralph Reskymer and it is generally thought John Reskymer and his wife Grace built the present house in 1575 because of their arms over the entrance, but that may refer to a remodelling of that time. John Reskymer died in 1617 and Grace in 1627. In 1629 Merhen was sold to Sir Francis Vyvyan of Trelowarren. Mentioned by Leland as in ruins.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
confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible. Masonry ruins/remnants remains.
The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW72712639
Sources of information, references and further reading
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