History in Structure

Swiss Cottage

A Grade II* Listed Building in Llangattock-Vibon-Avel, Monmouthshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8255 / 51°49'31"N

Longitude: -2.7546 / 2°45'16"W

OS Eastings: 348087

OS Northings: 214365

OS Grid: SO480143

Mapcode National: GBR FJ.W3BW

Mapcode Global: VH86T.6CLY

Plus Code: 9C3VR6GW+54

Entry Name: Swiss Cottage

Listing Date: 3 September 1991

Last Amended: 19 March 2001

Grade: II*

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 2857

Building Class: Domestic

ID on this website: 300002857

Location: Reached from B4233 at the S end of Rockfield; approximately 0.5km along the tree-lined former drive to the Hendre. Secluded setting beside brook.

County: Monmouthshire

Town: Monmouth

Community: Llangattock-Vibon-Avel (Llangatwg Feibion Afel)

Community: Whitecastle

Locality: Rockfield

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Tagged with: Building Arts and Crafts movement

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History

Designed in 1905 by Sir Aston Webb, architect of London, as a lodge to The Hendre which was enlarged by the same architect before 1902 and was the home of the Rolls Family, pioneers of aviation and motoring.

Exterior

A small single-storey estate worker's cottage in an inspired and unusually distinctive symmetrical Arts-and-Crafts design. The compactness of the plan and the use of traditional materials suggests the influence of Sir Edwin Lutyens while the design of the roof and chimney stacks recalls the work of C F A Voysey. Built of snecked sandstone rubble with black and white close-studded treatment to the upper half of the walls, and a tiled hipped roof with exceptionally broadly swept boarded eaves (probably the reason for its "Swiss Cottage" name) carried at the corners on dragon-post like timber brackets with capitals over stone pilasters tapering inwards towards the plinth. Breaking through the eaves in the centre is a tall canted porch of freestone with a deeply chamfered Tudor-arched doorway (up 3 steps), a ribbed oak door, a high parapet with a sunk panel containing a sundial with carved sunburst, and ball finials to the corners. At each corner is a small-paned 2-light timber-frame casement window, returned round the corner. Each side wall has a massive rubble chimney stack tapered towards the top, and the right-hand end has leaded, multipaned smoke-window to an inglenook. Small 1950s extension to rear.

Interior

Deep brick-lined inglenook fireplace, and plan-form slightly changed (when recorded in 1991).

Reasons for Listing

Listed as an exceptionally interesting and well-preserved example of an estate building by a leading British architect and for its location on the important Hendre estate.

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 Monmouth Lodge
    Built in the acute angle formed by the junction of the drive with the B4233, approximately 200m SE of the centre of Rockfield village.
  • II Gateway next to Monmouth Lodge
    At the entrance to the drive to Rockfield House, approximately 200m SE of the centre of Rockfield village.
  • II Rockfield School
    At north end of village; at right angles to the road with playground to front.
  • II Church of St Cenhedlon (aka Rockfield Church)
    Near the centre of Rockfield village, in a wooded hollow where the road skirts the edge of a westward meander of the River Monnow.
  • II Steps Farmhouse (aka Steppes Farm)
    Set back above the N side of the road, approximately 0.8km W of the centre of Rockfield village.
  • II Former cider-mill to S of Steps Farmhouse
    On the bank above the road immediately the E side of the entrance to Steps Farm, approximately 0.8km W of the centre of Rockfield village.
  • II Nos.1-4 (consec) Cottage Homes
    Set back in their own gardens on the SW side of the road, in a detached position approximately 150m S of Rockfield Lodge.
  • II* Pentwyn
    To W of B 4347, about 100 metres NW of Rockfield Church.

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