Llandough Castle

Cadw's description

Location

Located to the NW of St Dochdwy parish church, Llandough. Set back from the road frontage behind high boundary walls.

History

Origins as a C16 gentry house with vestiges of a C15 tower house and hall block on SW end. Llandough castle formed part of the Herbert estate during the C15. Doctor Edward Carne, younger son of Nash purchased the Llandough and St Mary Church estate in 1536. In 1677 the estate became absorbed into the Penrice and Margam estate when Sir Edward Mansel married the youngest Carne daughter. Throughout the C18 the estate was leased to a number of local families including Cottrell in 1706 and Edmondes in 1775 with the property falling into progressive disrepair throughout the century. In 1803 John Price rented the property and undertook significant alterations including extensions at ground and first floor levels and the creation of a new E wing. In 1869 Francis Edmonde Stacey, barrister and sheriff added crenellated bays to the W corner of the house. In 1929 the estate was sold by the Mansel Talbot family. Llandough Castle continues to be a private residence.

Exterior

The house known as Llandough Castle, and incorporating part of the former castle includes a C15 SW castle turret and C15 walling to adjacent SW wing, extended probably in the late C16 and C17 and now incorporating C18 features. NW wing with bowed NW end at the turn of the C19: probably early to mid C19 NE wing, partly demolished, and of which only one bay remains at each end now known as Llandough castle flats. The turret was connected to the gatehouse (separately listed) by a stone wall, the footings of which still remain. NE wall of former courtyard, is separately listed. Stone walls. Slate roof. SE elevation with C15 turret, possibly in part refenestrated in C16: two-light flat-headed window to third floor. Main part of SE elevation of three storeys and attic, three bays width. Two French casements with internal shutters on ground floor: square-headed late C16 to early C17 stopped and chamfered doorway to right hand. Three sash windows each three panes wide and with stone voussoirs on first and second floors. Three gabled dormers each with two-light window with small panes. Large C19 conservatory against ground floor, with three bay roof with two end bays. SW elevation: at S end, C15 turret (other elevation) with single light, narrow-chamfered opening on both ground and first floor, the third floor opening above corbel table. Beyond this SW gable and of S wing with slate cladding; sash window, three panes wide on ground floor, again with internal shutters. Slate hanging continues to N, facing part of late C18 to early C19 three storey wing with dentil cornice; firstly, a sash window three panes wide on both ground and first floors: secondly, a two-light rectangular bay window with sash-lights dated 1881, and with contemporary internal shutter.
NW elevation with bowed front to three storey wing at SW end; three fixed windows on ground floor; three taller later C19 sash windows on first floor and three shorter sash windows each three panes wide to second floor; dentil cornice to parapet with peaked slate roof behind. Two bays remain of former six bay, two storey wing to NE one at each end. SW bay with round-headed doorway with fanlight with intersecting tracery and half-glazed panelled door: stone porch in front with square-headed doorway.

Interior

SW ground floor room with probably early C18 bolection moulded fireplace in NW wall; probably contemporary shouldered architrave to doorway in NE wall. Dado panelling; plaster ceiling divided by plaster beams into three panels; panelled reveals to doorway between SW and NW rooms. Six panelled doors and doorcases. NW ground floor room with stone fireplace with columns in NE wall (C20 insertion). Cellar with wine shelves in basement; bowed N end with vaulted ceiling. Round headed doorway with intersecting tracery and six panelled door into entrance hall from SE room. Later C20 staircase to attic (former staircase was in partly demolished wing). Second floor room of bowed three-storey wing with barrel vaulted ceiling above a cornice, previously the music room. large mahogany fireplace with pairs of flanking columns.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as a notable example of the remains of a late medieval fortified dwelling incorporated into a C18 and C19 gentry house with important historical associations.

The remains of the former hall are Scheduled as an Ancient Monument number GM337