History in Structure

Big House Farmhouse

A Grade II Listed Building in Ilston, Swansea

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.5878 / 51°35'15"N

Longitude: -4.0987 / 4°5'55"W

OS Eastings: 254704

OS Northings: 189743

OS Grid: SS547897

Mapcode National: GBR GV.GT49

Mapcode Global: VH4KD.XC15

Plus Code: 9C3QHWQ2+4G

Entry Name: Big House Farmhouse

Listing Date: 19 July 2000

Last Amended: 19 July 2000

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 23546

Building Class: Agriculture and Subsistence

ID on this website: 300023546

Location: At centre of the hamlet of Lunnon, 1km south-west of Ilston. Stone-walled front garden with iron gate; small yard with bakehouse/washhouse to rear.

County: Swansea

Town: Swansea

Community: Ilston (Llanddinol)

Community: Ilston

Locality: Lunnon

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Farmhouse

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History

A typical large farmhouse of c.1700, which appears from available records to have always been a tenant farm. In 1844 it was recorded as Great Lunnon Homestead, occupied by Benjamin John, with 90 acres (36.5 hectares), under Major Thomas Penrice of Kilvrough. By 1871 the farm had risen to about 200 acres (81 hectares), which is very large by Gower standards.
The house has two staircases, that at the east end being possibly a later insertion. There is a later attached rear kitchen and dairy extension of a single storey. There is also a detached bakehouse and washhouse across a small yard at the rear.

Exterior

A farmhouse in axe dressed local stone brought to courses, with slate roof and tile ridge. The east gable and the end chimneys are rendered. Rear extension for the full width of the house with catslide roof.
The front elevation is of three windows, the fenestration offset to the right to allow for the bulk of the original great fireplace in the kitchen at left. The central upper window is also offset further to the right to avoid the apex of the porch roof. Porch in similar materials centrally, apparently original. At left there is a ground storey projection, probably the location of an original bread oven beside the kitchen fireplace. The window apertures are original, but have tile sills and replaced frames. Single window to the attic in each gable end, side door in the east gable elevation. Rear elevation has three modern windows and one door.
Bakehouse and brewhouse across yard at rear, with bread oven at left and boiler with hearth at right.

Interior

The room to the left is the original kitchen, and it retains a stone floor, a large fireplace with a C19 range with central fireplace, hob boiler to left and hob oven to right, complete with fender. At the right is the original settle with a shaped side. In the corner to the right of the hearth is the staircase. Chamfered floor joists above, mostly pine, some in oak.

Reasons for Listing

A well preserved superior vernacular farmhouse of the period c1700, which has retained its character and interesting internal details including its original fireside settle.

External Links

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

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Village Pound
    At the side of a lane at the centre of Lunnon, behind Big House Farmhouse.
  • II Lime Kiln
    At the roadside about 100 m north of the hamlet of Lunnon, on the road towards Pengwern Common.
  • II Park Mill with Miller's House, Carpenters Shops and Smithy
    At the western end of the village of Parkmill, in a side road about 100m north of the A4118.
  • II Mount Pisgah Chapel
    In the village of Parkmill, built into a hillside at the north side of the road. Stone retaining wall at front with central stairs, iron railings and gates.
  • II Former school including schoolmaster's house
    At east end of Parkmill village, 100m west of the Gower Inn. Large playground to north and west, the schoolmaster's garden to the south and east. Stone boundary wall to front.
  • II Limekiln at Green Cwm
    At Green Cwm, 1km north west of Parkmill, close to a lane leading through Park Woods, 50m north-east of Parc le Breos Neolithic Burial Chamber
  • II* Church of St Illtyd
    In the village of Ilston, east of the stream, reached by a footbridge. Rubble graveyard wall without coping, opened at south to extension graveyard. Oak gate with adjacent stile at main entrance, two
  • II Boundary wall at Kilvrough Manor
    On the N side of the house and forming the boundary wall along the S side of A4118 to E of Parkmill.

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