History

Large house with a complex development and ground plan, comprising 2 main blocks, possibly of 'unit-system' type; the earlier to the W is part of a late C17 house, with a 6-window range added to the E in c1730, the two later connected. The E part was given a double-pile plan under a rear outshut of the main roofline, which was later extended by a 1-window, 2-storey wing. A similar wing was also added to the S side of the W block, which in turn had a 1-storey service range added in the mid-late C19.
The original house was probably built for Richard Roberts, and passed down through the Roberts family to Emma Rowlands (daughter of Elin Roberts and heiress to the estate); she married James, Lord Viscount Bulkeley and so the estate became linked to that of the Bulkeley family of Baron Hill. By 1841 Caerau was the centre of an extensive farmstead of over 300 acres(121.5 hectares), owned by Sir Richard Williams Bulkeley. The house is shown on the Tithe Map of the parish of Llanfairynghornwy, 1841.

Exterior

The original late C17 part of the house, to the W, is a 2-storey, asymmetrical 2-window range, with the original main elevation facing W (L side as approached from main gates). Rendered rubble walls with slate roofs, hipped over the S end. Two storey servants wing to E end of S side. Gabled connecting range to E block, with lean-tos. W elevation of house (the original entrance elevation): End chimney to L (N) gable, with lateral chimney to hipped section to R. Lean-to porch offset to the R, with 9-pane window. 12-pane sash window to L of porch, with similar window to 1st floor above porch and to L end of elevation. Gable wall to L (N) has two narrow windows to the ground floor, 3 by 4 panes, set either end. The S (approach) elevation, under a hipped roof, has two 16-pane hornless sash windows with segmental rubble heads to the ground floor, with an 8-pane Yorkshire sliding sash window to the 1st floor, set under the eaves. Two-storey servant's wing to R, with boarded door to L end, and 16-pane sash windows with segmental rubble arches to ground and 1st floors of S gable end. Abutting the SE corner of the S gable end of the wing is a single storey domestic service range, a lean-to built against the dividing wall between the rear yards to both houses. Built of rubble masonry, slate roof and brick chimney to the oven in the 2nd of the 3 rooms along the range.
The E block is a 2-storey (part with attic), 6-window range with asymmetrical facade; full-length, lofted lean-to to rear under common roof pitch, with storeyed wing to rear forming courtyard. Rubble masonry walls with widely slobbered mortar; the rear wall has been raised to accommodate the lofted lean-to. Slate roof with tile coping; the rear pitch is shallower and covers the lean-to. Tall rectangular gable end chimneys with dripstones and capping, with 3rd chimney offset to L of centre (in line with the door). The main entrance is offset to the L (under the 3rd window from L); a modern half-glazed door, with a single wide 16-pane sash window to ground floor L. Three 12-pane sash windows to ground floor R. There are two patterns of window to the first floor; two of the original 12-pane balanced sash windows survive (3rd from L and far R), the rest are sash windows with 6-panes to the upper, and 9-panes to the lower light. The L gable end has a 12-pane sash window to the L side of the original part, with a 8 over 6-pane window to the ground floor of the lean-to, with a segmental brick arch roof, and a modern casement to the loft above. The 1-window wing has a similarly detailed 8 over 6-pane window to the ground floor, with a 16-pane sash window to the 1st floor. The rear elevation of the E block is a 2-storey, 2-window range with a block of four 12-pane sash windows to the L, and the door to the R (with a lean-to corrugated iron porch). Ground floor openings have segmental rubble voussoir heads. Gabled dormers spring from the eaves. Boarded door to centre of courtyard elevation of wing. To the L side of the lean-to is a long, rectangular chimney aligned axially (modern).

Interior

The main entrance to the C17 block leads into a central hallway with principal rooms leading off to left and right and C17 dog-leg staircase to rear with turned balusters, double-square newel at landing and massive swept moulded rail. The walls of the hallway are in and out boarded partitions; panelled doors, 2 bolection moulded panels to the right hand door and 4 panels to the left hand. The room to the left (W) has a faux marble painted wooden fire surround and plain cast iron fire. The walls are lined with cupboards, some with glazed doors, most panelled. The room to the right (E) has the scullery beyond beaded boarding to the rear; steps lead off down to the basement (below stairs). Both ground floor rooms have large hewn chamfered beams (W room with bar-stop chamfers) and hewn joists.
The C18 block is said by RCAHMW to retain a considerable amount of internal detailing (the description following is taken from the Inventory): On the ground floor the kitchen and pantry are said to retain their original built-in cupboards, shelving and dresser with panelled doors and arched recesses; a corner cupboard in the pantry has the date 1730 on the panel of the door, together with some geometrical designs. The kitchen dresser is said to have a moulded cornice, the upper members repeated on the plaster beams, which are chamfered with moulded stops. On the 1st floor is a range of three bedrooms entered from a passage. Each room has pine panelling with moulded cornices, door architraves and pediments and, over the fireplace, a panel containing a contemporary landscape painting. The E room has a double-partition to the passage containing cupboards on either side of the door and a closet against the large chimney stack. The staircase to W has turned balusters, panelled newels and moulded handrail.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a significant sub-medieval vernacular house with an unusual ground plan (for example the location of the chimney is unusual), and attached early C18 block with exceptionally good interior detailing. The house is also of interest for having two separate dwellings, possibly a unit-system house, which was later connected.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17741737

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
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  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)