History

Documentary references to property at Glanhafren trace it back to the late C17: the property then belonged to the Griffiths family, but had been sold to the Pryce-Jones family by 1745, when it formed part of a small estate. The house is essentially an early C18 building which was acquired by John Naylor to form part of his estate at Leighton in 1854. Naylor carried out some remodelling work on the house (perhaps at the same time as building the adjacent great barn in 1871): this work involved the reconstruction of the central bay of the house, together with some extensions and raising the overall roof level (the original eaves line is visible as a faint scar in the brickwork).

Exterior

Painted brick with slate roof. End wall and axial stacks with yellow brick and stone caps, and moulded (painted) terracotta eaves cornice (both belonging to the later C19 work). 2 storeys with attics, 7-window range. Entrance in main range between two advanced wings faces E, with short 3- window range continuing the main building line beyond the right hand wing. Left hand cross wing has hipped roof with gabled dormer to front and rear: 9-pane sash window and ornate fretted bargeboards. Paired 4-pane sash windows (flush framed in moulded architraves with flat arched heads) on each floor below. Plain string course between ground and first floors, and a similar band in the rear elevation. Entrance in main range recessed between the two wings: 6-panelled doorway with flat arched head, flanked by narrow side lights with sash windows; 12-pane sash window above the entrance. Projecting right hand wing is a C19 addition: it has a single 12-pane sash window on each floor, and hipped roof. The original main range continues to the right, with a wide 12-pane sash window, and an 8-pane sash window to ground floor, and 3x8-pane sashes above, all flush framed and with flat arched heads. In the rear elevation, the cross wing to the S, and the N bay both appear to be C18 and have raised string courses, while the central section appears to be a later reconstruction from the partial remodelling of the house in the C19.

Interior

The S wing retains two early C18 rooms to the ground floor: E room is fully furnished with painted wall panelling with heavily moulded raised panels, dado rail and cornice: transverse beam also panelled. Corner fireplace with fluted pilasters and lugged panelled overmantle; panelled window shutters. W room also has corner fireplace with fluted pilasters and heavy raised panelled overmantle; heavy moulded plaster cornice, and reeded plasterwork to transverse beam. Ceiling has raised plaster motifs (a bird, a fish and two branches) in each corner. 'Gun room' at N end of house is also fully panelled in a style similar to that in SE room, and including a bolection moulded fireplace. C19 staircase (in C18 style) in central hall.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* for the exceptional quality of the C18 interiors.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17743099

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

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)