Gliffaes, Llanfihangel Cwmdu with Bwlch and Cathedine (Llanfihangel Cwm Du gyda Bwlch a Chathedin), Powys

History

Said to have been built c1881 for Rev. W. West, the architects being Brown & Gill of Bath. West's father, William H. West, had laid out the gardens c1845 and lived in an earlier house to N, which became a stable when the new house was built. Sold in 1903 to Sir Shirley Salt, who added a porte cochere to the entrance. The house became an hotel c1936.

Exterior

Large Italianate style house consisting of a central range with cross-wings at E and W ends (W cross wing considerably extended to provide service rooms), which have tall campanili attached, and with porte cochere at N end of the E wing. Two storeys, of snecked rubble sandstone and pantile roof with overhanging eaves; ribbed brick ridge stacks on stone bases. Entrance front is on N side of house and is comparatively modest. Cross-wing to L has a concrete porte cochere of 3 bays with round arches above a balustrade, and with octagonal piers and crocket capitals. The returns have wider elliptical arches. Inside the porte cochere is a doorway to R in a moulded surround and with plain overlight. Double panelled doors have raised fields, the lower panels lozenge-shaped, the upper with ogee heads. To L is a 1-light casement with patterned stained glass. Above the porte cochere are a pair of round-headed sash windows. The central range is 3-bay with sash windows, the lower storey having a centrally-placed bow window with 3 sashes and a moulded parapet.

The E garden front has a campanile offset to L of cross wing, which has an advanced cross-gable offset to R. The cross-gable has a plat band continuous with the wall to R and 3 stepped round-headed windows in the upper storey, the window to L lowered to make a doorway with balcony, which consists of a stone slab on brackets with railings. To R of cross gable are sash windows, and R and L of campanile are added C20 lean-tos. The campanile is of 5 stages. The lower stage has a round-headed sash window with a mosaic coat of arms above. The second stage has a pair of round-headed sash windows with a white-brick impost band which continues around the side walls which have a single round-headed window. The middle stage has a 2-light geometrical window in plate tracery under a segmental arch, the central colonette having a trumpet capital with waterleaf moulding. Above the window is a band of red brick and small stair lights in the side walls and the front defining the 4th stage. The bell stage is of brick and rises above a corbel table. Each face has two 2-light openings with central colonette and moulded capital, round-headed lights and moulded imposts, all under a segmental arch and with a continuous stone impost band. Above the openings is a cornice incorporating a sawtooth frieze, and a pyramidal roof with projecting eaves.

The S terrace front consists of 4-bay central range with sash windows and a large added conservatory spanning the full width between cross-wings and obscuring a plat band. The cross wings have doorways flanked by windows in each storey. The doors have full-height glazing and a plain overlight. In the upper storey the doorways lead to balconies consisting of large stone slabs carried on moulded brackets and with scrolled iron railings.

The W garden front has a 1-storey gabled projection to R added late C20, L of which is 4-stage campanile. In the lower stage is a round-headed sash window, above which is a glazed door with round-headed overlight and a balcony similar to terrace front. A white-brick impost band continues to S side where there is a single round-headed window. Above this are white and red brick bands and small stair lights with sills defining the tall 3rd stage below the belfry. The bell stage rises above a deep corbel table and is of red brick. Each face has a 3-light opening with colonettes, round-headed lights and trefoil tracery lights, with a clock face in front, all under a segmental arch. A pyramidal roof has projecting eaves over a cornice incorporating a sawtooth frieze.

L of campanile is service wing, a continuation of W cross wing. This has advanced 2-window cross gables L and R with attics, and 3 windows with basement between. Further L is a lower 5-window range of 2 storeys with basement. The E side of the service wing, facing the main entrance, has 3 sash windows to L under a gablet with 2-light attic window, a 2-window advanced cross gable with attic windows, with 2 windows further R, the upper storey windows under gablets and forming 2-span roof. All windows are plain sashes.

Interior

An entrance hall has an open-well stair with square newels with enriched orb caps, barley-twist balusters, panelled strings and a plainer panelled dado. Main room to N in central range has panelled shutters in bow window, plain panelling around the walls and a plaster ceiling incorporating vine trails. A big fireplace has Ionic columns and brackets supporting an entablature, above which is a raked, panelled hood. Main room to S in central range has enriched ceiling and cornice, a panelled dado with shallow round-headed recesses to the end walls. The fireplace has a wood surround with egg and dart moulding, a big panel above for a mirror (now replaced by oil painting) above which are brackets and a broken pediment. The large room in the E wing has a fireplace with Tudor arch and a big panelled surround incorporating a mirror and wreath.

Reasons for Listing

Large and distinctive Victorian country house retaining good original detail.

External Links

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