Ewenny Priory (house)

Cadw's description

Location

About 1km NE of Ewenny village, to S of Ewenny Priory to which house is attached.

History

Following dissolution of the adjacent Priory, its conventual buildings were purchased by Sir Edward Carne, and adapted as a large house which survived until rebuilt for Richard Picton Turbervill c1803. John Nash, who returned to Wales in 1806, has been suggested as the architect; correspondence of the time refers to a famous architect from London staying at the house. E bay added 1872, top floor of W range 1893. The house incorporates S and W sides of monastic cloister, and some medieval and C16 windows survive, particularly to courtyard.

Exterior

Georgian style facade. Of grey stone rendered, exposed stone dressings, slate roofs with rendered stacks to front range and yellow brick to W wing. Main block of house faces S with rear wings enclosing service court, former cloister garth of Priory; 2 storeys over basement; shallow-pitch roof, parapet, cornice. Main frontage of 5 windows, central bay breaks forward with steps up to later porch and round arched entrance doorway with double panelled doors; windows have rendered architraves with keystones and bracketed sills with low iron railing panels; 6/6 pane horned sash glazing to ground and first floors, smaller sash windows to basement. Asymmetrical right elevation has later bay window with tripartite plate glass horned sash window above; behind is the lower E wing with pitched roof and plate glass horned sashes, similar surrounds, downipe 1872. Three window left elevation behind which is long 6-window W wing; 3 storeys, top storey added late C19, wooden conservatory; windows have similar achitraves with keystones, varied glazing including 8/8 pane sashes. N elevation has round-headed moulded medieval window, putlogs, blocked two light mullioned window. Service court has shallow chamfered arched entrance with studded wooden gates, cobbled floor; service rooms with wide panelled doors on both sides. Inside service court W wing has, to left of archway, 4-light sub-medieval window, hollow chamfered with hood mould, similar 3-light window to right, and smaller (restored) 2-light window above; later windows above. Rear (R) of main block has small arched window at first floor level and later chiefly sash windows including large 16/12 pane staircase sash window; rear entrance below with wide 6 panelled door. Lean-to against S wall of priory with range of round arched boarded openings.

Interior

The house has a particularly fine and well-preserved early C19 interior with rich plasterwork, and retains its original doors, doorframes, and fireplaces. Entrance hall with fine plaster cornice and frieze, elliptical archway (panelled soffit and jambs) to staircase hall with top-lit cantilevered stone staircase in D-shaped well, trellis-pattern metal balustrade, elliptical lantern with fine plasterwork to frieze and ceiling. To R of entrance hall, sitting room with enriched cornice, dado-rail, doorcase with swag frieze, early C19 fireplace. Across hall, morning room with enriched cornice, doorcase with urns to cornice, classicising fireplace. To R of staircase hall, dining room, enriched cornice, Adamesque ceiling centrepiece, elliptical-arched recess to W wall flanked by doorways with classicising doorcases, above which are rectangular panels; walls have panels framed by raised floral plasterwork, polychrome marble fireplace. Opposite dining room, doorway to second stair, and transverse corridor. At head of main stairs, landing has enriched cornice and frieze, elliptical archway; good doors, doorcases, and simple cornices to most first floor rooms. In W wing, end (N) first floor room has jambs of medieval arch-headed window with flanking shafts, annulets, water-holding bases.

Reason for designation

Graded II* both for the great historic interest of its origins, and for its particularly fine well-preserved interior; group value with all other buildings at Ewenny Priory