Merthen Manor House, Constantine

In the civil parish of Constantine.
In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

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.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

listed building

Images of England

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW72712639

PastScape number; 427103

Books

Charles Henderson, A History of the Parish of Constantine in Cornwall p88-123
V.M. and F.J. Chesher, The Cornishman's House p50-51

Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)

Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p71

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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Merthen Manor House, Constantine

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW72712639

Sources of information, references and further reading