History

Small country house set within an extremely fine landscaped park. Leland mentions a house on this site in the 1520s. The present building was erected in 1634 by Evan Edwards, probably incorporating the original house in the north wing. Evan Edwards was Secretary to Richard Sackville at Knole in Kent. The plan is historically significant for the double pile form still retains a notional cross-passage. The E and S fronts rendered in the early C19.

Exterior

E front: 2 storeys with attics, red brick now rendered and scribed to resemble stone, stone string courses, slate roof. Symmetrical design of 5 bays, with the outermost bays as projecting rectangular bays raising through 2 storeys. Outer bays contain five light mullion and transom windows on the ground floor level. The first floor is similar with taller five light mullion and transom windows. Attic storey comprises 3 coped and finialed gables, each containing a stepped mullion and transom window of 3 lights. Central arched doorway set between two fluted Doric columns. North wing to right, set back. 2 storeys with attics. Red brick now rendered, slate roof. 3 bays with far 2 bays set back from first. Single bay has coped and finialed gable, 2-light window to ground floor and 3-light window to first floor. Attic storey contains stepped 3-light window. 2 bays attached to far right contain mullioned and transom windows to ground and first floors 2 coped and finialed dormers to attic storey with stepped 3-light windows. S elevation, 2 storeys with attic, red brick now rendered, moulded stone string courses. Ground floor contains 10 light mullion and transom window and C19 12-light window to floor level. First floor contains 2 mullion and transom windows, attic contains centrally placed coped and finialed gable containing 6-light window. West elevation, red brick set on stone plinth, irregular fenestration pattern, stone dressings to windows and some stone quoins, slate roof. To right 3 bays, 2 storeys with coped and finialed gabled attics, mullion and transom windows throughout, 2 blocked. To left 4 bays, red brick with some stone quoins, one 2-light mullion and transom window, various other windows including at ground floor 12-pane horizontal sliding sash, central first floor 18-pane window set within C17 brick opening.

Interior

Double-pile plan form to main 1643 section, service area is housed in the north wing, and probably represents a thorough remodelling of the pre- C17 house. All that remains of the earlier house is the remnants of an extremely large stack and an exceptionally thick wall between the Dining Room and Kitchen. The Hall is entered directly from the main door, a notional cross-passage still exists through to the rear main staircase. Stone flagged floor, the doorcases and eared overmantel containing a painting all date from the second quarter of the C18. Dining room has a decorative cornice. Library: black marble Regency fireplace, recesses to either side of the fireplace contain built-in Gillow Gothic Revival style bookcases. Main staircase dates from the early C17 with flat, shaped and pierced balusters, finialed newel posts with string decorated with lozenge pattern and strap-work detailing. The servants corridor contains 2 internal fanlights over doors and a set of 7 servants bells. Housekeeper's room contains an early C19 fireplace and is flanked by 2 arched recesses. Pantry contains remains of a bread oven. Rear service corridor retains game hooks to the ceiling.

First floor, the drawing room is directly over the main hall, C19 white marble fireplace, decorative cornice and central plaster ceiling rose. Adjacent bedroom contains exceptionally fine carved wooden Rococo fireplace, blocked doorway once accessed the drawing room. Other bedrooms contain similar carved wooden Rococo fireplace and several very good late C19 aesthetic movement cast-iron fire grates. The north wing is served by a service stair and the rooms are set at 2 different floor levels.

The attic storey contains both polite and service accommodation the decoration to the former is of a clearly higher quality. Main polite rooms are accessed directly from the main staircase. C18 doors with Dutch door handles, fireplaces include early C19 cast iron Gothic Revival and later C19 aesthetic movement detailing similar to those on the first floor. One bedroom is entered through a dressing room which contains early C19 fireplace. Service accommodation is set at 2 different floor levels, various wooden plank doors with latch handles.

Reasons for Listing

Group value with the formal garden structures, the sundial, Monument and farm buildings.

Listed at grade I as a very good example of a Jacobean house, with internal features of great interest most notably the exceptionally fine original staircase.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Rhual mansion at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17737495

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)