History

First documented in 1586 as the home of Thomas Bowen, whose daughter, Catherine, was the first wife of Richard Bassett of Beaupre. Later used by their eldest son, Edward Bassett when financial hardship forced him to relocate the family seat from Beaupre. In 1668 the house was sold to Sir Richard Mansel of Margam to raise money, allegedly to meet fines incurred by the Bassett family involvement in the Civil war.

Exterior

Substantial C16 gentry farmhouse of two storeys plus attic and coursed rubble elevations. Steeply pitched slate roof with three stacks, two gable, one axial. Front elevation comprises a three windowed range with central, later gabled porch. First floor has two 4-light hollow chamfered mullioned windows beneath hoodmoulds with square labels, at the far SW end is a later three-light casement under original hoodmould. Ground floor has altered openings with later casements, at SW end is a right hand jamb of a two centred doorway, now blocked. To the right hand side of the porch there is evidence of the earlier hoodmould above the window and a complete hoodmould survives above the extreme right hand window. Attached to the E end of the farmhouse is a lower, two storey C19 cottage with four windows and a central door. On E gable at high level are two single light, square-headed windows with plain chamfers and hoodmoulds bisected by the pitched roof of the attached cottage. Rear elevation has a later single storey extension abutting the original stair outshut which houses a natural spring with modern extension to far NW end. Rear elevation has modified openings and fenestration to first floor except for an original two-light mullioned window with hoodmould over and square label stops at NW end. At ground floor level there are two original four-centred openings with later casements. At W end low rubble stone walls only remain of third western cell.

Interior

A two unit offset entry house with later third cell at W end which has now been demolished. Entered on S elevation through modern porch via a later doorway into hall cell, which has inserted timber partitions to form a lobby. Fireplace with stone voussoired arch over at E end with large niche to N side of fireplace. Exposed ceiling beams with medium chamfers and hollow stops, smaller fireplace at W end of hall. Four centred dressed stone doorway with diagonal stops leads to original kitchen with massive voussoired arch fireplace on E wall with bake oven on N side of fire. Three exposed beams with medium chamfers and hollow stops. Final bay of original kitchen has been partitioned at the W end to form a modern kitchen. Lateral entry stone stairs on N side of kitchen entered via dressed stone four-centred doorway with diagonal stops leads to the great chamber at first floor level over the kitchen cell and the attics above. Within C19 (?) rear single storey addition are three blocked ovens in S wall beneath the stone stairs. The great chamber occupies the W cell and is undivided with substantial plain dressed stone fire at W end with simple chamfer with two-centred doorway on the right hand side, now blocked and a large niche, also blocked on the left hand side. Fragmentary plaster frieze on NE and NW corners of the room; with fleur de lys and Tudor rose detail interspersed by foliate motifs, each set within a fielded panel. A small later fireplace at the E end, now blocked. The E chamber is accessed via a four-centred doorway on the SE side of the W chamber and is now sub-divided into two rooms. The attic storey retains original C16 roof structure, the principal rafters having curved feet and mortice and tenon jointed collars. A small chamber on the S side of the stack accessed via the W attic, possibly a smoking/drying room.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II as a good example of a gentry farmhouse with important historical connections with the Bassett family of Beaupre.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29491290

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

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)