Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
The Great House
Cowbridge with Llanblethian, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Commercial
- Date of designation
- 5 December 1963
- Locality
- Cowbridge
- Community
- Cowbridge with Llanblethian
- Unitary authority
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.46183, -3.44825
- Cadw reference
- 13221
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 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Prominent tall building about 80m E of junction with Church Street.
History
C16 L-shaped first floor hall house, dating probably from mid to later C16 and possibly built by the Carnes of Nash Manor; C18 and later alterations including NW and furthest SE rear wings. On a smaller scale but with similar stylistic external features to St Fagans Castle or Upper House (Ty Mawr) Llantwit Major, that is, with its mullioned windows and with its two conjoined gables and parapet in front elevation, the gables (with ball finials) and parapet.
Exterior
Two storeys and attic; front elevation of 4 bays paired gables to attic. Roughcast cladding and slate gabled roof. On ground floor, from left hand, four stone steps lead to semi-circular headed door opening with six fielded panelled door, fanlight with radiating tracery and open pediment on reeded pilasters; two sash windows each three panes wide; second doorway as in first bay; lastly shop front with possibly C19 casing but with C20 windows. On first floor, four 12-pane sash windows, and, in attic storey, a small Venetian window of vernacular form to each gable.
An original transomed and mullioned window in NW side elevation; a four-light transomed and mullioned window visible from the staircase of no 30, in SE side elevation. In rear elevation, from left hand, a two-light stone mullioned window, a corbelled chimney and thirdly, now concealed by an C18 to C19 NW rear wing, the original first floor entry, the last with moulded and chamfered depressed four-centred stone arch. Original SE rear wing with corbelled stone chimney on gable end.
Interior
Internally, apart from first floor entry, other original features hidden. Interior of original SE rear wing not inspected. Four fielded panel doors on first floor in no 34.
Reason for designation
Graded II* as amongst the finest surviving C16 gentry town houses. Group value with adjacent listed buildings.
Nearby in the register
- Ogmore Vale BakeryCommercialunder 1 mi
- Principality Building SocietyCommercialunder 1 mi
- Woodcocks and W G DaviesCommercialunder 1 mi
- 26Commercialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.