Gelli

Cadw's description

Location

Situated some 400m NW of Trefilan, approached by two drives off minor lane to Cilcennin.

History

Country house of two distinct periods: the rear is a complete gentry house of the late C17 or early C18 and the front range, in the style of John Nash, was added probably around 1800-10. There is no record of the architect. The Rogers family were owners in the C18 to earlier C19. Thomas Rogers owner is named on 1841 Trefilan Tithe Map.

Exterior

Two parts: the original house of c1700, now the rear range, faces E and added range of c1800 is across S end, facing S. South range: Roughcast, replaced by render on main front, with slate hipped roof and rear chimney gable. Stone stack joined to S stack of older house, and with cornice and four linked diagonally-set brick shafts. Two-storey, three-window range, with deep eaves and paired brackets. First floor 12-pane sashes, ground floor unusual Palladian tripartite windows, with an arch-headed sash in the centre, and fixed louvred shutters instead of side-lights. Windows have ornamented dividing and flanking uprights, with fluting and console. Centre four-panel door with radiating-bar fanlight. Fine Gothick porch with two quatrefoil columns and matching halved responds, and flat cornice with Gothick detail and two oval lights pierced in frieze.

Roughcast E end has similar Palladian ground floor window, but without the console detail, and 12-pane sash above. Rear left has first floor sash and hipped lean-to in angle to older rear range. Roughcast W end has one first floor sash.

Rear range: Whitewashed rubble with slate roof and stone end stacks, left stack joined to rear stack of front range. Both stacks are corniced, and raised in red brick. Roof is carried out on horizontal stubs from wallplate. Two-storey, five-window range of small windows, remarkably retaining original timber cross-mullions and leaded glazing. Glazing appears to have been originally of three fixed lights and one opening casement but some lower lights are altered to timber casements. The survival of original leading with curved-headed glass pieces in the top-lights is exceptional. Timber lintels. Centre door with two glass panels. The two ground floor right windows have been replaced by a single 12-pane sash. Rear stair gable with lunette and long window. Added lean-to each side, raised later.

Interior

The older range has centre passage plan, six heavy beams and big timber lintel S fireplace. Fielded-panelled shutters in S room. The stair is of oak with wide treads, closed string, plain square newels and twisted balusters. Four flights up to attic, splat balusters on attic landing. Attic roof has four massive collar-trusses with trenched double purlins. Stair gable has similar small truss. S range has centre hall and room each side. Hall has plaster leaf cornice, and 6-panel doors of Regency type.

Timber stair up two sides of hall with stick balusters and ramped rail. Coved ceiling. Six-panel doors of Regency type. Simple cornice mouldings to SE and SW rooms, SW room has elliptical-arch to W recess.

Reason for designation

Listed as being architecturally, one of the best surviving smaller gentry houses in Ceredigion, with Nash-style front range added to complete house of c 1700.