History

A mid-late C17 lobby-entry house with fine storeyed porch in the Renaissance style. The house had a hall and parlour flanking the chimney, but it is not clear whether the service rooms were to the R of the hall or at the rear. The fireplace was replaced by a central staircase in the C19 and external end stacks were added. At the same time, a large rear outshut was built to provide service rooms. A wooden conservatory, partly a lean-to, was added to the SW angle c2000.

Exterior

Two-storey 3-window house with central gabled storeyed porch. Timber-framed on a stone plinth, the framing 4 tiers high and of particularly high quality; it is close-studded below the mid-rail, the decorative framing above with diagonal quartering. The porch has similar framing and is jettied at 1st floor and gable level, the moulded 1st floor bressumer supported on moulded brackets. The gable has decorative barge boards, probably C19. The house is under a slate roof with external stone end stacks, that to the R with offsets; the shafts have been rebuilt in brick. The front entrance contains an old boarded studded door, thought to have been re-used from elsewhere, under a wooden overlight with quarry glazing. To the L-return of the porch is an original 3-light timber- mullioned window. The porch is flanked by C19 3-light wooden windows with moulded transom and mullions and quarry glazing; identical windows are aligned above to the 1st floor. The 1st floor chamber above the porch has a similar 2-light window with transom. Two skylights to roof-pitch. Cut into plinth to L of entrance is a small cellar light.

The N gable end is of random stone and is contemporary with the external stack. There is a small 2-light wooden casement under a segmental brick head to R of the stack at 1st floor level. The S gable end is weather-boarded; there is a small light to R of stack, whilst the wooden conservatory abuts to the L. To the rear is a large C19 outshut, rendered and with a slate roof. Rear door to R; mainly C20 wooden windows, some with segmental heads. At ridge level are 2 gabled dormers with decorative barge boards lighting the attic, each containing a 2-light wooden casement with quarries; 2 skylights to roof pitch.

Interior

Inside the porch the walls are unplastered, the ceiling with an ogee-stopped chamfered spine beam and dragon beams. This leads into a large stair-hall with oak floor and boarded doors. Open-well oak staircase to rear with narrow balusters and newels, and a moulded handrail. Reception rooms flanking stair-hall. That to R has a ceiling with a deep chamfered cross-beam with ogee stops supported on moulded posts, and plain joists. Large brick fireplace with cambered timber lintel, the latter possibly from the C17 fireplace. On its R is a large cupboard with a narrow opening leading from the chimney, which may have been for smoking food. The reception room to L of porch is smaller and may have been reduced when the stair-hall was inserted. It has 2 spine beams with ogee stops to the ceiling, a small stone fireplace with roughly hewn voussoirs, and 2 niches above in similar style. To the R of the fireplace are French doors leading to the conservatory. Kitchen in rear wing. On the 1st floor is a large square landing with rooms leading off. The porch has a 1st floor chamber, its doorway with a double ogee head. The S bedroom has a spine beam with medium chamfer; study to SW; bathroom to NW with some exposed close-studding and a cross-beam. N bedroom has shallow-chamfered beams. The straight stair leading to the attic is in similar style to the main staircase. The attic contains one substantial tie-beam truss with collar, the panels of the partition now open, and formerly containing a doorway; 2 pairs of purlins with shallow chamfer; some later partitions.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* for the exceptional quality of the timber-framing and the Renaissance influence as shown by the centralised plan and fine storeyed porch. The C19 modification, with circulation around a central staircase, is of additional interest. Group value with the barn (former house) and multi-purpose farm building at Rhyd y Carw.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17742959

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 Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)