History

Sub-medieval origins, probably early C17, with early C19 neo-classical enlargement and further later C19 remodelling. On the site of a former grange to Abbey Cwmhir and also said to have been a coaching inn.

Exterior

Small country house with complex plan and three principal blocks. Rubble and cement rendered elevations, slate roofs and red brick chimney stacks; 2-storeys and attic. The main front to north-west is composed of ranges of several phases. Starting with the principal block which is to the extreme right; 2-storey C19 addition with wave-moulded bargeboards to paired gables; 12-pane sash windows of which those to the ground floor are taller. To the left of that is the central porch with round-arched entrance and fine doorway with reeded surround and fanlight. Stepped back to left is a tall, 15-pane stair window with pointed arched glazing bars, pair of attic dormers beyond, with similar bargeboards. Projecting gable to left with 6-pane door and lean-to. Stepped right down to north-east is the 2-storey range with sub-medieval origins and a stone chimney stack heightened in yellow brick. Externally the only significant indication of these early origins is the small, exposed, timber that appears to be part of the blade of a cruck truss; the slightly stepped forward cement-rendered upper storey could indicate that the original building here was a jettied cruck-framed hall house. There is a parallel range behind with a gable facing to front. The extreme left end has been modernised but retains some C19 leaded lights. Long garden front, stepped up to either end and gabled with similar wave-pattern detail. Near-flush small-pane sashes including paired windows to right and triple windows to left with reeded surrounds; splayed bay to ground floor left. Gable ends have similar windows and that to south-west has a rubble buttress.

Interior

Entrance is onto an unusual domical entrance hall with pendentives in the manner of Sir John Soane, architect of the Bank of England and a foliated band to base. Well-detailed neo-classical main rooms have marble chimneypieces and 6-panel doors with fine doorcases enriched with reeding and bosses; variety of classical cornices. The dining-room has two fluted Corinthian columns framing a recess. Broad openwell main staircase rises to left of the hall and has S-shaped tread ends, scrolled newel and straight balusters; at the 1st floor landing there are two small internal windows with patterned glazing lighting the laundry room and another service room. The sub-medieval origins of the house are found internally at the rear where there are broach-stopped ceiling beams to the ground floor and hollow and fillet-stopped beams to the 1st floor; one bedroom also has reused dado-panelling probably from elsewhere in the house.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* for its largely unaltered earlier C19 classical interior.

Group value with the Stables at Cabalva House.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17744150

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

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)