The Old Rectory

Cadw's description

Location

In the woods about 150m north-west of the Church of St. Donat beside the track to Parc Farm.

History

A probably early C16 rectory, now a roofless ruin. Shown as the Parsonage on the Tithe map of 1848 when it stands with five other houses. It was subdivided in the later C19, presumably after the construction of the new vicarage and was last inhabited in the earlier C20. This was a two storey, four room parsonage house of the type which survives complete at Church Farm, Porthkerry (Rhoose Community) and as a ruin at Flemingston Court (St. Athan Community) and Llantwit Major (qv Chantry House).

Exterior

Local lias limestone rubble walls. The internal floors and the roof are missing. The building is much overgrown with ivy. In the northern part, the north-west gable and the north-east wall have collapsed. The full height south-east gable of the south-east room has a 2-light stone mullioned window to ground floor on east and single light first floor window on west, external stack between. Pointed arch doorway in the north-west wall; north-east wall with window openings minus their fittings; stone coping to south-east gable end.

Interior

The north-west ground floor wall of the main part retains its stone fireplace with fine moulded head and jambs and relieving arch over. Stone arched first floor doorway between north-west and south-east rooms. There is a surviving first floor fireplace.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as one of a group of important C16 Rectories which survive in the Vale of Glamorgan, and as a reminder of the otherwise demolished St. Donat's village.