History

The origins of this house are very difficult to interpret, particularly whether the main front range is of two builds. The stone walls would show this, but the only available evidence is the differing nature of the stair windows at either end, and indeed the reason for there being two stairs at all. It could be a C16 house which was heightened and widened in the C17; it could be an early C17 house heightened in the late C17 with the apparently C16 features no more than old fashioned, or the features could even be reused. The height and the window openings date probably from c1700 and the next major change was probably in c1830 with the rendering and the porch. Fox and Raglan date this change at c1800 but this seems unlikely as sash windows might then be expected and would have fitted in the upper windows at least. The Victorian changes included the addition of the kitchen wing. These changes would have been done by the Pontypool Park estate during the ownership of the expansionist and improving Capel Hanbury Leigh, owner 1796-1861. The farm has remained a part of the estate and has been little altered since apart from the usual modernisation.

Exterior

The house is wholly rendered, probably over local limestone rubble, Welsh slate roofs. L-shaped plan with both sections a full three storeys with a single storey added kitchen wing and a lean-to over the rear entrance. The front elevation has smooth render blocked out as ashlar with rusticated quoins and modillion cornice. The facade is almost symmetrical but the wider gap for the right hand window is a significant indicator of age. Three bay front with central entrance; this has a gabled porch with ogee headed stone surround and scalloped bargeboards. The porch is early Victorian as is the plank door which is in the original chamfered 4-centred frame. The entrance is flanked by 3-light mullion-and-transom windows and there are three 2-light ones on each of the upper floors. All these windows are Victorian. Fairly low pitch roof with gable stacks, each with three flues with decorative Victorian terracotta pots. The left gable has two C16 stairwindows with moulded frames with 4-centred heads and diamond lattice glazing. The wall is otherwise blind but the rear wing has a late C20 steel 3-light casement in the ground floor, this was a new opening. The right gable end has one small stair window with 2 x 2 panes, which is probably C17. The rear wall of the front range has a plain window in the first and second floors. The rear door is inside the lean-to. The rear wing is hidden by the lean-to on the ground floor and has a 6 6 pane casement on the first floor and a late C20 top opening light window on the top floor. The single storey Victorian wing is plain with a gabled roof and a large brick stack.

Interior

The interior of the main range has a cross-passage and a large, high-ceilinged room on either side. Both of these rooms have firestairs in the rear corner. The north one is partly stone, the south one is timber and has been rebuilt on the upper floor. There are indications of a possible 'great room' on the first floor. The roof is basic principal rafter trusses with staggered purlins and no ridge piece, clearly constructed to have plaster ceilings in the second floor rooms. The secondary rafters and sarking are Victorian.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a large multi-period farmhouse of impressive appearance and character.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29482688

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

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)