Garnllwyd Farmhouse, Llancarfan, Vale of Glamorgan

History

The house is first recorded in 1441 as being in the ownership of Lewis Mathew, his daughter Catherine married John Raglan in whose family it remained until c1600. In the early C17 the family were dispossessed and the house passed into the ownership of Sir John Wildgose of Eridge, Sussex. In 1620 the property was sold to Sir Edward Lewis of Y- Fan who bequeathed it to his grandson Edmund who died without issue. The ownership then passed via his cousin to the Aubreys of Llantrithyd who retained the property up until the C19.

Exterior

The house consists of two ranges. The NE range contained the original C15 first floor hall which was extended by a two storey wing to the SW of the hall in the C17. The medieval 2 storey tower was formerly located at the junction of the two ranges and is now only evidenced by floor plan. A later small 2 storey cell was added to the NE of the hall range in the C18 (?) and the tower removed with the creation of further ancillary room/entrance hall attached to the kitchen range at the junction with the former medieval hall.

The elevations are of rendered limestone rubble with Sutton dressings, and the pitched roof is slate clad. The W gable elevation has an exceptional corbel table which bisects the attic storey with a single cusped light. A series of 4 single light square headed, plain chamfered stairlight windows with small light beneath to ground floor. The NW elevation of the former kitchen range has one 2-light stone mullion and transomed window of early C17 form with hoodmould and square label stops to ground floor. The W elevation of the kitchen range is lit by a single C17 square-headed dressed stone window, with mullion and transom window above. The S elevation of the kitchen range is not lit except for a modern window at first floor level. The E elevation has one later casement to ground floor and modern doorway with single modern casement over. The S elevation of the hall range has two 2-light casement windows in original openings at ground floor level with small window over. The N elevation of the former medieval hall has massive C17 (?) buttress to E end with doorway to W with two windows at first floor level.

Interior

The 'L' shaped plan comprises the original C15 or earlier hall (now sealed and subdivided to provide a hallway and parlour), flanked to the SW by an early C17 kitchen range. At the junction of the hall and kitchen range is a C19 two storey extension with a similar extension at E end of the hall range. The house is entered from the W by a doorway at the junction of the two ranges into an C18 hallway with no exposed surviving early features. In the W corner of the room is a C19 straight flight cranked stair. Access is gained into a long hallway via a dressed stone C15 doorway of pointed form with simple chamfer and keel stops. On the W wall are plank door cupboards, the E door concealing the remains of the original C15 ground floor hall fire (substantially demolished to allow access to C17 wing) whilst the W door conceals a rectangular C15 dressed stone window. The original stair rises from the NW corner of the hall. At the N end of the hall is an external door.

On the E side of the hallway is the parlour with later C20 fire-surround concealing an earlier fireplace. The N wall is part panelled with C17/C18 built in oak cupboards and may originally have formed a bed cupboard. The parlour ceiling is carried on four heavy timber beams with broad chamfers. The S wall has two 2-light windows set deep within C15 (?) arched recesses. A door to the E wall gives access to a later C19 service room. The C17 kitchen range to the SW of the hall is entered at the N corner and remains unaltered with a large open fire at the S end with dry cupboard to the E and large bake ovens to the E and W jambs. On the W wall is a small, single light square headed dressed stone window. The NW wall is lit by a C17 mullion and transomed window. The ceiling has three heavy exposed beams with medium chamfers and straight cut stops. Understood to have an "ox-blood" floor beneath the existing timber floor.

The first floor hall and C17 wing has been substantially partitioned to form 5 rooms but retains the original pattern of fenestration with dressed stone mullion and transom windows to the C17 wing, and later windows in original openings to the hall range. Fine dressed stone doorway at the head of the stairs with keel stops similar to that of the ground floor. later ceilings, probably C17. Access to attic via spiral stair at NW corner of hall range with pointed dressed stone doorway with simple chamfer and keel stops. Exceptionally fine C15 arch-braced roof with moulded principals and collar beam and carved foliate boss to the W end with two trenched purlins and a ridge piece and mortice evidence of former windbracing. Evidence of former gallery to W end lit by trefoil-headed lancet set within deeply splayed curve headed recess. Heated on the S side by a square-headed dressed stone fire with simple chamfer and keel stops.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* as an important Glamorganshire house with medieval origins and retaining good interiors including the remains of an exceptional C15 roof.

External Links

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