History

An important early C17 house with datestone LIMI 1625. It has been identified as a house of a single build, but evidence uncovered in restoration from 1984 is more confusing. The RCAHMW notes similarities to Kingfield and Upper Dyffryn, Grosmont: lateral chimney by a stair wing, centralised entry, tiered gable windows. However although the cross gabled main block is dated 1625, the stair wing on the W part blocks a window suggesting that the wing was added and the 'centralised entry' may not have been from this stair wing, but from the opposite side now obscured by a kitchen wing. There are moulding differences to beams and joists between the floors, the first floor partitions are inserted and even those on the ground floor might be, by excavation. There are different mullion types. The lateral chimney is not typical of the county. The RCAHMW suggests a c1600 main block added to a pre-existing house to the S, this demolished in 1625, the c1600 block given a new S gable, an additional floor and a stair wing. The kitchen may have been built then, or, if formerly a separate block, it may have then been linked to the house. The 1984 restoration undid many C19 alterations, restoring the stair to the stair tower. Important timbers including shaped door-heads were re-used from Graig Olway, Llangeview, demolished 1982.
Marked on 1840 Tithe Map as owned by Thomas Reece, occupied by Richard Roberts, with 125 acres (50.59 hectares).

Exterior

House, lime-rendered rubble stone with slate roofs. Main block is of 2 storeys and attic, T-plan, the main range running roughly N-S with centre gable on E and stair wing projecting on W built into bank. Low 2-storey kitchen wing projects from centre of E front, possibly added, possibly originally detached and later linked to house front. Windows are carefully restored or replaced using old timbers, the original pattern being sunk-chamfered mullioned frames with timber chamfered lintels and thin stone hoodmoulds. Some smallest windows originally unglazed with diagonally-set mullions. The S gable and stair tower had cambered-headed windows of the C19, given oak mullions and leaded lights since 1984. S gable has cambered-headed main windows with 4 lights to ground floor, first floor 3-light, and attic 2-light with top-lights. Date stone LIMI 1625 under first floor sill. Gable apex has 2-light tiny oak window, formerly blocked, with renewed with diagonal mullion.
E front is of 3 bays, centre obscured by attached kitchen wing, but no evidence found for first floor centre window. Centre gable has similar apex 2-light window over attic renewed 3-light oak mullion window, both with dripstones. One-window range to main floors each side of wing. To left, 3-light oak mullion window each floor, ground floor larger window inserted post 1984 in place of a door (itself possibly a C19 alteration), upper window original. Both have hoodmoulds. E side, behind kitchen wing, has ground floor 3-light diamond mullion window.
Kitchen wing to centre was raised 18'' (0.45 metres) in 1984, and has rebuilt E stack. S side C20 eaves breaking gabled dormer over 2x2-light C20 mullion windows with hoods. E gable has remnant of limewash and first floor renewed 3-light diamond-mullion window over long dripstone. The window was originally under the dripstone and blocked when fireplace was inserted. Rear N has added lean-to with reused ovolo-moulded mullion window. Door to right in angle up stone steps. Oak frame. Eaves breaking dormer above.
N gable of main range has 2 small ground floor 5-light diamond-mullion windows, restored. Two first floor restored sunk chamfered 3-light windows, one similar original to attic, and tiny 3-light apex window with renewed diamond mullions, all with hoodmoulds. W side has first floor original 2-light mullion window, the hoodmould cut off by projecting stair gable. Stair gable has N side ground floor renewed 4-light diamond mullion window. W front has renewed oak mullion windows: 2-light to attic and small apex window. Doorway at first floor due to rising ground, with oak door and doorcase reused from Graig Olway. S side has C19 cambered headed window with C20 mullions. W side of S gable has big external lateral chimney to left, in angle with staircase wing, and 2-light mullion window each floor to right, the lower window C20, the upper one renewed.

Interior

The steep sloping site gives unusual changes of level. Two-room plan, the inner N room lower than S main room. W stair inserted after 1984 following evidence found, Stone lowest steps are original. Solid oak treads around solid centre. S room has large side-wall fireplace, chamfered massive timber lintel with centre incised fleur-de-lys device. Chamfered stone jambs. Plank door in chamfered frame to right, opening onto stair. Beams with ogee stops to chamfers, diagonal stops to joists. Post-and-panel partition of 10 posts with scribed flat ovolo moulding. Shaped doorhead to left, renewed after 1984. Lower room was 2 rooms divided by similar partition, dairy and store, now one dining room. Five close-set unmoulded beams.
First floor: landing has 2 doors with ornate shaped door heads, one from Graig Olway, one copied (similar to example J, Fox & Raglan Fig 21). Six heavy beams with stepped hollow stops, and scribed square joists moulded like partition posts. S room has chamfered fireplace with timber lintel and stone jambs on W wall, adjacent window seemed to predate the chimney (RCAHMW report). Partition to similar design as one below, apparently inserted after construction of house, as wedged under the cross beam, and reused as the head-beam has been cut. Shaped doorhead. Similar in-and-out partition behind divides 2 smaller rooms, also inserted as cut around beams. Bathroom partition reuses screen that divided the two small rooms now the dining-room.
Attic (not seen) may once have been subdivided by a floor at apex level. Two main trusses with notched lapped collars.
Kitchen in wing remodelled in 1984 has heavy beams from Graig Olway and joists with diagonal stops to chamfers. E fireplace with chamfered timber lintel and stone jambs. Later bread oven to right. Evidence found of spiral stair. Two doors into main house, original openings, one to left with bead-moulded oak frame, into hall, one to right into inner room with shaped head doorcase inserted after 1984, possibly originally a window.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as an early C17 gentry house of compact centralised plan form, with a great deal of surviving original detail, including post and panel screens.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Nantybanw at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17744212

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)