Great Frampton

Cadw's description

Location

About 1300m north-west of the Church of St. Illtyd.

History

Late C18 front to a c1600 house. The house was refurbished in the mid to late C20 and then burnt and the main block completely gutted in December 1994. The rear wing is probably C17 in origin but was very altered in the mid C20. This part was not burnt, but is now derelict. The house as originally built is reconstructed and illustrated in the RCAHMW Inventory, which also has floor plans before the fire.

Exterior

The house is built of smooth cemented cladding over local limestone rubble, the roof is missing on the main block and is Welsh slate on the rear wing. Three storeys with one storey and attic rear service wing to the north-west.
The five bay front elevation was restored in the later C20 before the fire. Central modern Georgian style doorcase with triangular pediment, the door is missing. The former sash windows, three panes wide, are all missing. Parapet with coping; ball finial at each end. The roof is missing, gable stacks. Each gable end with small flat-headed original window openings to first and attic floors; west gable also with projecting C16 stair turret to north with single pitch roof with original openings to stone stair. Rear wall with central projection for the C18 stair with two openings for sash windows.
Rear north-west range of one-and-a-half storeys, three bays. The west elevation with sash windows with glazing bars, the half dormer windows with sloping roofs; similar east elevation. End gable stack and smaller central ridge one. Roof hipped to the north end.

Interior

The interior of the main block was completely gutted by fire in 1994 and no features remain. The previous list description is below.
'Inside, doors of six-fielded panels; door frames in west ground floor room in early C19 manner with reeded moulding and angle roundels. In north wall of east room, stopped and chamfered doorway with arched head; similarly stopped and chamfered, but much narrower and lower opening to west of it. Massive stopped and chamfered beams to first floor rooms. Stair turret with stone staircase connecting originally with first floor and attic rooms. Later rear, centre staircase projection; from first floor to attic, C18 staircase with turned balusters and ramped handrail; attic balustrade in Chinese Chippendale manner.'
The southern end of the north-west wing is said to have stopped and chamfered beams, but these were not seen at resurvey.

Reason for designation

Included as a C16 and late C18 farmhouse which, despite having been partially gutted by fire, retains much of its architectural and historic importance.