Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
The Shell House Cilwendeg Farm
Boncath, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
- Date of designation
- 23 January 1976
- Locality
- Capel Colman
- Community
- Boncath
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.01802, -4.59261
- Cadw reference
- 13025
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1608 "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Situated in undergrowth backing onto track running SW from Cilwendeg Farm some 70m SW of Counting House.
History
Early C19 garden folly, one of very few such in SW Wales, much deteriorated in later C20, with the loss of much of the interior shell decoration and all the roof plaster. Reroofed c1991.
Exterior
Early Cl9 garden folly with ornamental front in rough white quartz with Cilgerran stone dressings. C20 slate roof behind stepped parapet. Single storey, three-bay front of two Gothic windows with timber Y-tracery and centre doorway. Door was half-glazed with intersecting tracery and Gothic panels below (1980), now missing. White quartz rough walling with slate shelf over a frieze of smaller quartz bits, then high quartz parapet with slate coping notched on leading edge. Above parapet are two stepped blocks, white quartz edged in notched grey slate. Cresting originally of two rough menhir-shaped white quartz blocks to each step and top finial larger piece with oddly humanoid projecting pieces, two pieces are missing from right lower step. Facade is framed by grey stone piers with projecting bands vertically-notched, similarly notched capstone. Piers have remnant of a lime coating mixed with crushed red brick and coal grit. Plain rendered sides and rear, rear with projecting band across gable.
Interior
Remnant of shell-inlaid panels on walls and corner slate shelving with notched leading edges. Windows were edged with mussel-shells. Damaged fireplace on rear wall. Remains of floor inlay said to have been of horses' teeth and vertebrae. No roof plaster remains.
Reason for designation
One of the most unusual garden buildings in S.W. Wales.
Nearby in the register
- Open Bay Cow House at Cilwendeg FarmAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
- The Counting House at Cilwendeg FarmDomesticunder 1 mi
- Cilwendeg FarmhouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Lofted Cartshed at Cilwendeg FarmAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.