History

Large and once important house of the Conway family, of late C16 date; alterations internally and externally of late C17.

Exterior

L-shaped storeyed house of rubble (originally rendered) with slate roofs; 3 gabled lateral stacks with tall, capped chimneys and a further end chimney. 7-bay main front with a 5 bay range and further 2-bay projecting cross-range to R; leaded wooden cross windows, mostly restored and with pronounced timber lintels. Central entrance with late C17 or early C18 raised and fielded 2-panel door; contemporary pegged oak frame with Welsh inscription and plain 2-pane fan. Restored segmental canopy porch replacing one of 1722; Two inscribed sections of the original with initials and date have been incorporated in to this. C20 wooden 3-light mullioned and transomed window to R of entrance. Gabled stair projection to the rear with slightly battered base; leaded cross window with C20 steel-framed window beneath. Projecting lateral chimney to R and two out-of-character single-storey lean-to extensions in front and to R. Further modern steel-framed windows. 2 lateral chimneys to N (service) side, that to L projecting; cellar access beneath hat to R with boarded door and exposed, stopped-chamfered lintel. C19 lean-to with corrugated iron roof to S gable end.

Interior

Unusually high-ceilinged hall to R of entrance with heavily stopped-chamfered, framed ceiling beams, the joists plastered over. Lateral fireplace with chamfered and cambered bressummer. Large late C17 two-panel oak door to entrance hall. Arched entry to R of fireplace to fine late C17 dogleg stair within rear stair projection; original oak treads and risers, moulded rail and turned balusters. Contemporary dog gate at the bottom with shaped finials to slatted gate and stopped-chamfered rails. Curiously, C19 coffee mills are fixed to the R jamb of the stair arch. C16 post-and-panel partition screen with transom to centre; this originally led to the service rooms. Late C17 door as before to L and later boarded door to R. Former kitchen (to R) with stone flagged floor and framed, stopped-chamfered ceiling; later (late C17) dividing partition. A large L-shaped C18 or early C19 settle in this room apparently came from the hall, where it was built in; bullseye pane to boarded back. Next to this the former pantry with ceiling as before, the principal beam of which is supported by a contemporary scrolled bracket. C17 cupboard projection in the corner between the screen and the stair with curved, bracketed shelves above a door as before. Further post-and-panel screen and framed stopped-chamfered ceilings to first floor.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* as a grand sub-Medieval house with fine late C17 interior detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5