Church Cottage

Cadw's description

Location

SE of church yard and fronting road.

History

Early C17 lobby-entry house of 2 units. The house was part of the Merthyr Mawr Estate, which was purchased in 1804 by Sir John Nicholl. Nicholl enlarged the houses in the village in the 1820s and 1830s, often dividing them into 2 or more dwellings. At Church Cottage a new wing was added and a new doorway replaced the original, changing the internal layout. The existence of 2 stairways suggests the cottage was divided into 2 dwellings.

Exterior

Two-storey cottage consisting of a 3-window main range with wing set back to L. Rubble stone with traces of limewash, thatch roof, stone stacks to R, and L end of wing. Doorway to L in main range inserted early C19 with re-used Tudor head and has renewed stop-chamfer surround and a boarded door. To R of the doorway are renewed early C19 2-light mullioned windows incorporating casements, and with hood moulds (the window to R was the original doorway). In the upper storey are early C19 windows (1-light to L and R, 2-light in centre) with renewed stone surrounds beneath the eaves. The 2-window wing has windows with renewed stone surrounds and hood moulds in the lower storey, and similar window upper L. Added lean-to at the rear, to R of which the main range has a doorway with a Tudor-headed overlight and a casement window upper R. The wing is set back slightly and has a small stair-light with a 2-centred head, and a casement upper L.

Interior

The fireplace in the main range is early C19 with a Tudor head and stone mantel on moulded corbels. To the L of the fireplace is the C17 turning stone stair. An early C19 Tudor-headed doorway leads to the wing, where there is a second turning stone stair in the rear wall.

Reason for designation

A prominently sited cottage in the village retaining good early C19 character and detail with interesting earlier origins. Also included for group value with other associated listed items in the village and Merthyr Mawr Estate.