A colourful new book on the intriguing and fascinating history of Liskeard's Stuart House, a late medieval town house, has been written by local historian Tony Wood.

A trustee of the house for the past 30 years, Tony first produced a book in 1985. This was based on the findings of a survey on the house undertaken by architectural historian Eric Berry, who worked out its early development in the 16th and 17th centuries from its existing features.

However, since the first book was published additional evidence about the house has come to light, so Tony decided it was time to produce a new version.

It still remains a mystery who actually built the house, but the style reflects the 16th century and it was clearly a very large, imposing and expensive building for its time.

Apart from the Duke of Cornwall, there are no great aristocratic families locally, so it has been speculated that the only two institutions wealthy enough to have built it were the Priory at Launceston, which owned several properties in Liskeard, or the Duchy of Cornwall. A single wealthy landowner or merchant is another possibility.

Dr Joanna Mattingly, a professional historian based in Truro, through her studies, favoured the most likely name which came to light. This was John Tregassowe, who was mentioned in 1507 as being connected to the wealthy Coryton family, and is described as 'Gentleman', a style which placed him among the most wealthy and influential of people.

Not much is known about the history of the house until the arrival of the Jane family, probably in 1627, who were responsible for extensive alterations.

Thomasine Jane was the last member of the family to own the house, which then passed through several owners in the 18th century. In the 19th century the house continued in private ownership and in 1895 it was purchased by a Dr Hammond and colleagues who ran their practice from there.

The house continued to pass through several private owners in the 20th century before it was finally bought from Liskeard's Lock family in 1988.

Tony was directly involved in the purchase and restoration of Stuart House between 1984 and 1999, and remains closely involved with its development into an Arts and Heritage Centre for the town ever since.

Not only is the book full of details about the development of the house through the centuries but it also has some interesting pictures of the renovations commissioned by The Stuart House Trust. There is also a picture of Pengenna, a 16th-century house in St Kew Parish which has been used as a comparison with Stuart House. Both houses number among a few medieval houses in Cornwall which, unusually for this period, are three-storey in height.

Much of the detail in the book was researched during 2013/14 by Tony and Dr Mattingly together, by looking through the deeds held in the house, the archives in Truro and the National Archives.

The final section in the book is about the garden at the rear of the house. It was designed as a late 17th century garden by Nigel Matthews of the Cornwall Gardens Trust in 1989. Tony took over its responsibility and has worked on it since that date.

A group of students from Morley Tamblyn Lodge helped in its laying out, and in 2004 Gail Wolfenden volunteered to help develop the garden.

Visitors are always welcome to walk around the gardens or sit and enjoy the peace of this tranquil place in the centre of busy Liskeard.

Tony, who retired as headteacher of Liskeard School in 1996, and was awarded an MBE for his services to the community, is on the committee of the Cornwall Association of Local Historians, of which he is a former chairman. He has also been working on a book about the history of Liskeard. He published one in 1999 in black and white, but is now producing one in colour with some additions.

The History of Stuart House by Tony Wood is priced at £3.50, with all its sales in aid of the house, which is the only outlet where it can be purchased.