2 Gelli Fawr

Cadw's description

Location

On the S side of a lane which runs NW from a roundabout on the A5151. The house, now divided, is set back from the road with long front gardens. To the rear, a boundary wall divides the rear gardens and joins a former stable. No 2 is to the R.

History

Gelli was a grange of Basingwerk Abbey, the lands granted by Edward I. The building is said to have contained a cell and a chapel, apparently for performing divine service to the Abbot. Remains of a medieval hall and cross-passage survive, along with a probable gallery and chamber (or chapel) at 1st floor level. The doorway and several pairs of arched lights belong to this phase. After the reformation, the building was converted to a farmhouse, and is illustrated in a publication of 1796. The central doorway and openings to the R are as now, but to the L an external staircase led to an upper storey doorway, next to which was a lateral stack followed by a small window. A 3-light segmental headed window at the E end was replaced in the 1950s by an arched window of Gothic character. The house had been divided into 2 dwellings by 1871.

Interior

The front entrance leads into a small lobby, ahead of which is a galley kitchen. These occupy the former cross-passage. To the L is the partition wall with No 1, which obscures the positions of former doorways. To the R is the hall, which has a large stone fireplace to the W end with timber lintel and narrow chamfer. The ceiling has 2 spine beams with narrow chamfers and cut stops, and plain joists. Stone window seat to front. To the rear, close to the fireplace, is a panelled door leading to stone stairs in the projecting bay. The stone staircase leads to the 1st floor, with timber stairs continuing to the attic storey. The 1st floor has flat-headed timber doorways. The roof has substantial collar trusses with central posts, the purlins altered. Some wattle and daub panels are retained. Internally, the upper level windows of the staircase bay and hall have ovolo-moulded mullions.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as an exceptionally fine house with medieval origins and a complex history, which retains sub-medieval character and detail.