Silver Stream

Cadw's description

Location

One of a group of estate buildings clustered below St Fagans Castle.

History

The present house has work of C16 date at the southern end; but on the basis of the exterior and ground floor, most of the cottage was probably rebuilt in the late C18 to early C19. If the C16 window is in situ then it is a stair window lighting the firestair and would be of late C16 or early C17 date; but the window is earlier than that in character. There is an indication that the walling above has been raised for a late C18 reroofing, but there is no particular sign of the front wall having been raised. The construction of the cottage walls does not appear massive enough for the C16; with no boulder base to the walls and only a very slight batter. Alternativly, the window mat have come from the Castle Hill cottages, where such things are known to have been removed in c1860, and this would explain why it is blind. Silver Stream was previously known as Bank Cottage and was the blacksmith's house. The smithy, which stood immediately to the south-west, was demolished in 1972.

Exterior

Two-storey building with whitewashed rubble walls, thatched roof with eyebrows over upper windows, restored brick stacks and end gables with coping. North-east elevation of two window bays with modern diamond leaded casements, what was a plain central door at listing in 1977 is now a window. Late C20 glazed porch attached to north-east corner of cottage. South-east end wall has to the left a flat-arched chamfered and mullioned stone window on ground floor and, on first floor, a blocked window opening with trefoil cusping of circa C16 date; to the right hand, a large external chimney breast. Against the south-west elevation there are later extensions which clasp the north-west corner of the cottage. Two casement windows with cambered heads on the upper floor.

Interior

Interior not inspected at resurvey, but the previous list description confirmed that the ground floor was largely of C18 or C19 character.

Reason for designation

Included for its ancient origins and as a part of the important group of historic estate buildings at the centre of St. Fagans village.