Grade I-listed 17th century stately home devastated by huge blaze despite …

Blaze destroyed roof and much of first floor of Sydenham House, Devon
Owner Graeme Hart faces having to rebuild parts of home, set in 1,200 acres, at a cost of millions
15 fire crews battled to save building, using water pumped from nearby lake
Firefighters forced to evacuate due to fears the entire building could collapse
Investigation into what caused fire to break out on first floor yesterday
House was evacuated when alarm was raised; nobody was injured

By
Kerry Mcdermott

PUBLISHED:

15:29 GMT, 15 November 2012

|

UPDATED:

18:40 GMT, 15 November 2012

A 17th century stately home has been left partially destroyed after it was ravaged by a fire.

Nearly 100 firefighters battling to save Grade I listed Sydenham House, in Devon, were forced to evacuate the area at one point because it was feared the burning property would collapse.

The roof and much of the first floor have been left in ruins after flames tore through the house yesterday, and the owner now faces having to rebuild parts of the property at a cost of millions.

Battle: At one point firefighters working to quench the flames at Sydenham House, Devon, were forced to evacuate due to fears the entire building could collapse

Battle: At one point yesterday evening, firefighters working to quench the flames at Sydenham House, Devon, were forced to evacuate due to fears the entire building could collapse

Nearly 100 firefighters rushed to tackle the flames when the blaze broke out at historic Sydenham House in Devon

Nearly 100 firefighters rushed to tackle the flames when the blaze broke out at historic Sydenham House

An investigation has been launched into what caused the fire, which broke out in a first floor bedroom at around 4pm yesterday

An investigation has been launched into what caused the devastating fire, which broke out in a first floor bedroom inside Sydenham House at around 4pm.

Owner Graeme Hart who bought the property and the surrounding 1,200 acre estate in 1992, learned of the blaze when his secretary telephoned him to say his home was in flames. He said the fire was ‘tragic’.

‘I was phoned by my secretary to say there were flames coming out of the window’

Owner Graeme Hart

‘It could not have been more severe,’ said Mr Hart, who had rushed home to see flames ‘coming through the roof’.

‘I was out during the day. I was phoned by my secretary to say there were flames coming out of the window. Immediately I returned to find the situation. It was tragic.’

Mr Hart said he was determined to restore the building to its former glory in the wake of the blaze.

‘It has got to be rebuilt,’ he said. ‘It is a historic Grade I listed building.’

'Dangerous scene': Firefighters perched on a ladder spray water onto the flames at the house, which is thought to have been built between 1600 and 1612

‘Dangerous scene’: Firefighters perched on a ladder spray water onto the flames at the house, which is thought to have been built between 1600 and 1612

He also praised the efforts of firefighters who battled to bring the fire under control.

‘The firefighters have come from all corners of Devon and Cornwall,’ he said.

‘They have done a brilliant job.’

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the glow from the flames would have been visible for miles around as the roof and most of the first floor of the stately home near Launceston had been ‘well alight’.

Damage: Part of the Elizabethan stately home in Devon has been destroyed by the blaze

After: Part of the Elizabethan stately home in Devon has been destroyed by the blaze, which 15 fire crews battled to put out

Fire crews used eight jet hoses to blast water pumped from a nearby lake onto the flames

‘Fortunately the house was evacuated when the alarm was raised so there are no injuries,’ said the spokesman.

A total of 15 fire crews used eight jet hoses to quench the flames, using water pumped from a nearby lake.

‘It
was a dangerous scene. At one point there was a risk the building would
collapse, so we had to withdraw the firefighters,’ the fire service
spokesman said.

Area commander Chris Bridgeman said ‘hidden voids’ inside the rambling property meant the fire spread rapidly.

‘With it being heavily wooden inside it was very unsafe, so we were unable to work inside for any length of time,’ he said.

Fire crews said 'hidden voids' inside the rambling, largely wooden building caused the blaze to spread rapidly

Fire crews said ‘hidden voids’ inside the rambling, largely wooden building caused the blaze to spread rapidly

Ruins: Charred and blackened tiles on the roof of Sydenham House, near Launceston

Aftermath: Fire trucks outside Sydenham House after yesterday's fire

Aftermath: Fire trucks outside Sydenham House after yesterday’s fire

Grand: Imposing Sydenham House is seen before fire broke out on the first floor of the Grade I listed building

Before: Sydenham House is seen before the fire broke out on the first floor of the Grade I listed building

Sydenham House was built some time between 1600 and 1612 for Sir Thomas Wise, an MP.

The privately-owned property forms part of the Sydenham Estate, which organises farming and shooting functions.

The sporting history of the building can be traced back to the early 1900s, when it played host to pheasant shoots.

When Mr Hart and his wife Hilary bought the estate in 1992 they were determined to restore it to its former sporting glory, and they introduced shoots once again.

An investigation is now underway at the house to establish what is salvageable following the fire and whether parts of the property may be unsafe.

Imposing: The house, seen before the blaze, was built for the politician Sir Thomas Wise, who sat in the House of Commons in the 17th century

The comments below have not been moderated.

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You just can’t trust 17th century electrics.

–

Trevor
,

Ammanford, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 22:15

Waving hoses around seems so ineffective. Are we missing some better technology? I suppose a balance has to be struck between preventing the spread and actually extinguishing the fire – we just don’t seem to see dramatic and fast results.

–

DerbyBorn
,

Derby, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 21:16

What a shame, this house was stunning. Those of you saying it’s only a rich man’s house or it doesn’t matter are missing the point. A house like this is a thing of great architectural beauty and is part of our heritage. There are too few of them left as it is.

–

Liz
,

London,
15/11/2012 20:43

I find large homes and estates like this offensive and insulting to working class people, and it looks like the MP who originally owned it had is nose in the trough back then, just as they do now.

– MTC, london, 15/11/2012 17:………………………………………….No doubt you think its ok for socialist MP’s to own millions of pounds worth of houses ?? The hypocracy of the Politics of envy is alive and thriving !!

–

Tony Young
,

Derby,
15/11/2012 20:25

Never mind build flats.

–

british Tax payer
,

Birmingham, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 20:24

We too in this country used to fight fires from inside the building, not stand outside pouring water onto it – but that was before heath and safety became a pusillanimous way of life in all areas of our emergency services. My old crew, who included some veterans of the Blitz would have saved most of that stately home.

– Dreadnought , Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom, 15/11/2012 19:36
So which bit of saving a building, is worth a fire crews life ?

–

gblood
,

Sheffield, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 20:24

Since when has Launceston been in Devon????

–

Jill Rowe
,

Redruth, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 20:09

Haven’t they heard of insurance in the UK? If not, in the US they call that “putting all your eggs in one basket”. Simply put if the place was insured then the damage would have been repaired by the insurance company. What a novel idea!

–

Joe
,

Arizona,
15/11/2012 20:04

How sad, it’s a beautiful building. I hope the owners manage to recover the damage. We must be thankful that nobody was hurt though! It could have ended in tragedy.

–

Emma93
,

Manchester,
15/11/2012 19:51

@orangesandlemons It is sad, it was a beautiful ornamental lake. But the House is in a very rural area and there is no mains water nearby

–

Ihatethedailmail
,

Plymouth, United Kingdom,
15/11/2012 19:51

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