Summary: Honeyhaven is a small town near Fenton. It was noted for an elaborate manorial estate, which fell into decay after the First World War when all the heirs died off. Recently (2003), it has been acquired by a 'nameless' multi-national corporation as a retreat for company executives, but before the sale went through, Seth Pottlebury bought the old gatehouse (c. 1580) from the local firm acting as executors for the estate. The Corporation was thereby driven to create a new gatehouse on the other side of the estate, nearer the main road to Fenton. Seth uses this building as a private retreat, especially considering the construction now going on at Marshmount Castle at the old Sump.
The gatehouse is located a quarter of a mile from the Parish church, which itself is some 600 yards from the village proper with its two pubs and twelve households, and is on a narrow country lane lined with holm oaks. A wall enclosing the estate runs from the building for a circumference of three miles. Along this side the channel of the Honeybrook 'river' serves as a moat. West of the road is the Fenton Marsh and a few meadows and turnip fields. Marshmount Castle is visible in the distance -- especially prominent at sunset (when there is one in this rainy area).
Shown to the right is the roof plan, a battlemented terrace that Seth has turned into a herbarium. Below that is a sectional view of the gatehouse, showing its principal rooms.
The building is slightly less than forty feet high, from the top of the moat embankment, and measures some thirty feet square in area. It was meticulously restored and modernized after its long use as a farm outbuilding storing old agricultural implements.
Honeyhaven Gatehouse has been classified as a Grade II ancient monument. |
 |
|
 |
Description: This small building originally housed the estate gamekeeper/porter and his family, then became an outbuilding for storage of agricultural implements. It is built of a fine yellowish sandstone ashlar imported from some fifty miles away, which shows the wealth and importance of the original squire, who was an associate of Drake in Elizabethan times.
A vaulted basement contains three cellars, one used as the kitchen pantry. Above that is the entrance passage to the estate leading to a long carriageway to the manor house. A guard room to the right is now the dining room; the kitchen is original though substantially modernized. The first floor contains the parlor, bathroom, and guest bedroom-cum-library. Over the bathroom (which was once another bed chamber having the original privy attached) is a terrace overlooking the entrance bridge. The second floor is the Master Bedroom, with another adjoining it -- now used as Seth's study.
The most remarkable feature of the gatehouse is the recessed orial window, in some ways resembling the one at Pendennis Castle at Falmouth -- in fact, the design was probably cribbed by the unknown architect.
|
|
