Trewarthenick and Enys: Two Cornish houses by Henry Harrison?

Too often architectural history is based on the collaborative understanding of a patron making a request to an architect to design, organise and oversee a building. Similarly, it would be reasonable to suppose that the building contractor and associated craftsmen would dutifully work from instruction. However, this is not always the case. This paper highlights various challenges faced during construction works at two major country houses near Truro in Cornwall, Trewarthenick and Enys. Here the evidence points to a more nuanced situation whereby difficulties encountered included an indecisive and economising patron, distrust throughout the building hierarchy, inattentive builders, capricious craftsmanship and architects taking too much credit. In reassessing these two building projects, the contribution of the architect Henry Harrison will be re-evaluated.