History

A multi-phase building. An earlier building may have existed on the site. The E gable is buttressed and the stonework may contain the gable of a late-medieval timber-framed house, which according to tradition existed on the site of the adjoining stable and cartshed.
The oldest part of the present house (to E) once formed a 2-unit with cross passage farmhouse: comprising parlour and service rooms, probably built c1660-1670. The shaped door-head in the parlour is similar to a door-head at Wern-gounsel Farmhouse, Grosmont dated 1677 and the ornamental plasterwork is charactersitic of later C17 work in Monmouthshire. Later in the C17 the house was extended and an extra room added at the W end, creating a 3-unit plan. The 4-light transom window in the parlour was probably inserted at this time.
In 1840 the house, formerly called 'The Great House', belonged to a family named Woodcock. In the later C19 it was purchased by Mr Crawshay Bailey and formed part of his estate. Changes from this time include the blocking of the fireplace stair in the third ground-floor room, the construction of a new staircase opposite the entry, and the addition of a kitchen outshut.

Exterior

Large C17 farmhouse. Colour-washed rubble stone; slate roof, brick centre stack. Two-storey S front comprises main farmhouse and C17 addition forming long irregular facade. Main house is to right, with off-centre brick stack and stone end-stack. First floor has C17 4-light sunk chamfer wooden mullion (left) and to right a broad window opening with centre brick mullion separating 2 2 pane casements each side; ground floor has a late C17 4-light transom (left). Projecting at right angles to right is single-storey C19 gabled addition. S gable of addition has entrance doorway with C20 plywood door and C19 horned sash with marginal panes. C17 addition (to left of main house) is set back slightly, with lower, steeper pitched roof and stone end-stack with moulded cap. First floor has two C17 3-light sunk chamfer mullion windows with thin stone sills. Ground floor, a C19 6-pane horned sash and (to right) a C20 gabled stone entrance porch with inner boarded door. W gable has centre stack with offsets; to right of stack on first floor is 3-light chamfered mullion and on ground floor a blocked window opening; to left of stack upper wall is jettied out on oak bressumer. Rear elevation is broken by big centre raking buttress which separates main farmhouse with single-storey lean-to (left) from C17 addition (right). C17 addition, first floor has 1 1 1 pane casement (right) and 3-light sunk chamfer mullion (left); ground floor a 2-light diamond mullion, beaded at the angles (left) and blocked former 5-light sunk chamfer mullion (right). Main farmhouse, first floor has (l to r) a blocked window opening, a 1 1 pane casement (which springs below ridge of lean-to), and a 4 4 pane casement; ground floor, a 5-light sunk chamfer mullion. To right, is lean-to with corrugated metal roof, rear wall blind. S gable is buttressed and has 3-light mullion to upper gable and 3-light sunk chamfer mullion to first floor.
Attached to S gable is a long single-storey farm range, comprising stable and cartshed. Rubble stone; slate roof with tile ridge. S front faces farmyard and has (l to r) boarded double doors, square window opening, boarded door, window with vertical iron stanchions and inside shutters, boarded door, another barred window, and front of former shelter shed enclosed by vertical boards with boarded double doors in centre.

Interior

Three unit plan. Entry into lobby with C19 stair to rear and post and panel partition to left. Parlour (to right) has transverse ceiling beam with enriched, hollow and two quarter round, moulding. Each side of this beam is a very fine C17 plaster ceiling which has moulded cornice and ornate centre fret of ribbed geometrical panels enriched by Tudor roses, shallow domed pendants and fleur de lys. C20 fireplace has C17 8-panel doors each side. Doorway to right has ornate shaped door-head with scrolled sides and stepped head. Dairy retains its stone benches and salting slab. First floor, bedroom (left of stair) has chamfered ceiling beams and straight cut stops and fireplace stair with boarded door (access to attic not possible at time of resurvey). First floor rooms (to right of stair) once formed single bed chamber; corniced ceiling, chamfered ceiling beam with straight cut stop. Room beyond has chamfered beams and hollow and fillet (Wern-hir) stops.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a well-preserved C17 house with very fine C17 plasterwork.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29501284

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

• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)