Margam Cottage

Cadw's description

Location

On a track which runs R (close to A48 junction) off the lane to the abbey church. The track was formerly a road running along the S side of Margam Park, but is now a cul-de-sac.

History

The original mansion house at Margam was demolished between 1787 and 1793 by Thomas Mansel Talbot. Between this time and 1830-5 when Margam Castle was built by Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot, the family resided at Margam Cottage during their visits to the estate. Their main residence during this period was Penrice Castle. Shown on a survey of 1814 with similar plan. The house was remodelled in the later C19 and was used as a vicarage.

Exterior

Three-window 2-storey symmetrical front with central doorway facing S. Roughcast with a slate-covered roof, hipped to L end where there is a short rear wing. Projecting brick stack to R end and ridge stack to rear wing. Panelled front door under a hipped swept lead-covered porch supported on narrow piers. Flanked by paired 4-pane horned sashes with flat heads and stone sills. The upper storey has 6-over-6-pane horned sashes, the central window being smaller. Two sky-lights to roof. The W side of the rear wing has a half-lit conservatory under a hipped slate-covered roof. Half-lit double doors to R of centre, flanked by continuous glazing with large panes, the top row with segmental heads. Small horizontally-hung window to L in upper storey. The rear of the house is of rubble stone. It has a single-storey lean-to with two 2-light casements, both C20. That to the R appears to have replaced a door, with a further blocked door to the R. Small light in E end of lean-to. The E side of the rear wing has a catslide roof which meets the lean-to at right angles. Both the rear roof pitch of the main range and the catslide section have shallow raked dormers.

A later range links the rear wing of the house with a former outbuilding. Half hipped roof to N (rear) end and lower ridge line. Three-window 2-storey W side, with canopy over recessed lower storey windows. The E wall has a large raked 2-window dormer and 3 full-height glazed openings at ground level.

The former outbuilding is of rubble stone with a shallow hipped slate-covered roof. Single storey with loft, entered through a planked door in centre of E side, approached by concrete steps with brick facing wall. To R is a former cart-shed opening with wide segmental head, now infilled and with a planked door and window. To the L side is a 2-light multi-pane wooden casement under a segmental brick head. Two windows to loft rising to eaves, both 2-light casements. A ledge and a row of brick-lined nesting boxes for doves extends across the upper level of the N wall and wraps round the E wall. Large raked buttress at E end of N wall. The W side has 2 windows under segmental heads to the ground floor and 3 loft windows, as on E side. There is a butt joint to the R with quoins, while the 2 ground floor windows appear to have been doors originally, perhaps relating to stables.

Interior

Interior modernised; central hall with staircase to rear and round to L. Outbuilding is open-plan with C19 roof structure of wide span pegged with nails. Flagstones to lower storey.

Reason for designation

Listed for its historical associations with Margam Park and for its C19 character. Group value with surrounding buildings.