History

Large gentry farmhouse with late C16 origins, much altered and added to. The original house is to the N, with a freestanding house built in the C17 or early C18 at right angles to the S; the two houses were connected probably early C19, to form an L-plan. The farmstead was founded by Robert Bulkeley, High Sheriff of Anglesey (1557); grandson of William Bulkeley of Baron Hill, Beaumaris. The Bulkeley family lived at Gronant until the late C19; encompassing 10 generations. The farmstead may have been operated under the 'unit-system' at some stage in its history, where a single farm was run by two branches of the same family. The house had become derelict by the 1980s, and was restored by the present owner, including some reconstruction of the walls, and new fenestration and doors. The farm buildings are located a short distance to the N, in the community of Llanfaethlu.

Exterior

Large multi-phase 2-storey farmhouse, comprising two once-separate dwellings, with the original house to the N, and later house to the S; the two houses were connected at a later date by a 2-window range. Added to the L (N) gable is a narrower, 2-storey, 1-window annexe, with a 1-storey dairy wing added to the N gable. The later (S) house has a lofted stable attached to the E gable, and 2-storey former gig-house with servant's loft attached to the N side, forming an open courtyard. The original (N) house is a 2-storey, 3/4-window range with a tall diagonally-set chimney offset to the R of the cross-passage. Built of uncoursed rubble, with timber lintels. Modern pitched slate roof with tiled ridge, and fascia board. Later rubble stone chimney with capping to L (N) gable end; a similar chimney to the R marks the original S gable end of the house. The W entrance has a (modern) heavy oak frame with shallow pointed arch; the door is of 3 boards with vertical beading over the joints, with 3 small diamond windows to the upper part; iron strap-hinges across top and bottom. To the L of the door are modern timber 4-pane lights with cruciform pattern, to ground and 1st floor. Over the door is a small horizontal 2-pane timber window. To the R of the door, on the other side of the internal chimney breast, are 12-pane sash windows, regularly set with two on the ground floor and two on the 1st floor. The opposed E door of the main house is also set in an oak frame; glazed with stout glazing bars and 9-panes (modern). Tall 2-pane windows with small square leaded panes to the R (N) of door on ground and 1st floors; to the L of the door on 1st floor is a mullioned 3-light stained glass window (both modern) . On the ground floor at the L end are paired 12-pane sash windows, with a tall 2-pane window with small square leaded panes above. Blind window to N gable wall. Lower single bay 2-storeyed addition to the N, and beyond it, the former dairy, which end has rubble walls and an asymmetrically pitched slate roof, with the E pitch now in glass. Red chimney pot to N pitch. Stable door to W side; half-glazed door to E. Windows are a mixture of 2 and 4-pane fixed lights and sashes. On the W side is a circular horse engine platform, with drystone revetting, with the horse works machinery intact in the centre. The 2-storey connecting range is built of coursed rubble, with a slate roof hipped at the angle. The W elevation is a 2-window range with 20-pane sash windows; the S elevation has a horizontal (re-set) stained glass window with square and diamond pattern to the ground floor, with a small modern window to R; narrow 6-pane sash window to 1st floor, with the upper 2-pane light descending. The E elevation has a small 4-pane sash window, with a pitched-roof bell-tower rising from the wall above. The S house is a 2-storey, 3-window range with modern flat-roof porch to S side. The door is offset to R (E). Rubble walls with battered foundations to R. Gable end chimneys, rendered, that to the R larger. Large (modern) small-paned window to ground floor, enlarged from original proportions. Three 4-pane horned sash windows to 1st floor, all offset to L. Narrow 8-pane window to R of door. The N elevation is a 4-window range, with glazed door offset to L. Ground floor windows to R of door are 12-pane hornless sashes; the other windows are 4-pane horned sashes. Attached to the E gable end of the house, with a lower ridge line, is a lofted stable. Ground floor ventilator window to E gable, with pitching door to loft above, now with 6-pane casement window. Door to N elevation. Blind elevation to S. Rear wing attached to N side of S house; a 2-window range, formerly a gig-house with servant's quarters over. Gable end chimney with dripcourse. The E elevation has a modern boarded door to L and 4-pane horned sash to R. 4-pane sash over door, with 5-pane sash to R (3 small panes over 2 tall panes). N gable wall has blocked wide door with cambered stone arch built with rubble stone voussoirs.

Interior

The original house is of 'hearth-passage' plan, with the passage, hall and outer room all surviving. The outer room, to the N, is separated from the passage by a (partly destroyed) post-and-panel partition, which includes a Tudor-arched doorway. The hall has a large and deep inglenook fireplace, finely moulded ceiling beams, and moulded wooden lintels. The 1st floor is accessed via a modern staircase. On the E face of the above landing level chimney is a fragment of wall painting, consisting of vertical stripes in yellow and red, with a pattern of foliage above in washed-out grey-black on white. There is a second wall painting on the S wall. The paintings are probably contemporary with the original build of the house. The parlour has moulded lintels and a C19 recessed cupboard. The roof trusses are collared trusses with raking struts.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* as an important sub-medieval vernacular house, of the 'hearth-passage' plan (with the fireplace backing on the entry), a house type not previously recorded on Anglesey. Notwithstanding modern reconstruction work on restoration, the house retains not only this early plan form, but also original internal detail including the remains of its post-and-panel partition (also the only recorded example on the island), moulded ceiling beams and chamfered lintels, and the wall paintings. The buildings at Gronant appear to be a particularly coherent example of 'unit system' planning, in which separate households occupied the same farm. Forms a group with the farmbuildings to the N (in Llanfaethlu community).

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17742029

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair