Great House

Cadw's description

Location

At the centre of the village to S of Parish Church, set behind a low rubble wall.

History

Mid C16 farmhouse originally with central hall and two outer rooms, refaced in the C18 and extended to the rear by a two storey wing. Understood to have been occupied in the C19 by the headmasters of Cowbridge Grammar School.

Exterior

Broad, six-bay farmhouse with roughcast front elevation. Slate roof, previously thatched, with three rubble chimneystacks, two gable, one axial. At front, first floor has four hornless 16 pane sashes with Gibbsian surrounds and a further sash probably blocked during the C19. Similar windows below with offset four panelled door and fanlight; evidence of similar window dressings having been removed. Rendered cill band and matching quoining to each end. Rear elevation has a gabled dormer to the earlier stair outshut at W end with dressed stone hollow chamfered mullion window. Two storey C18 wing to E end with gable chimney. Modern single storey extensions to rear.

Interior

Later offset entry leads into central hall on E via later corridor hallway. Central hall has large open fireplace on E wall with deep stone lintel and dressed stone chamfered jambs with herringbone stone to the back of the fire. Four exposed ceiling beams with broad chamfers. Doorway on the S wall leading to rear corridor with flag floor, modern stair housed in two storey wing to rear. To the W of the hall is a cross passage with four centred rendered archway at S end. To the E of the cross-passage is the parlour which has an C18 bolection moulded timber fireplace with large fielded panel above, sashes have simple shutters. Entrance on S wall leads into later C18 kitchen wing which has replaced joists and large open fireplace on S wall with bread oven set into the right hand jamb. Ground floor has good C18 joinery with a number of two panelled doors, including large larder set in rear corridor, C18 back door with bars and internal shutter. The first floor room above the W parlour has simple thumb moulding running around the room with an exposed crude mullion two light window on the S wall, subsequently covered by the C18 extension. Original C16 A-frame roof with pegged morticed collars. The first floor room above the W parlour has simple thumb moulding running around the room with an exposed two light mullioned window on S wall, subsequently covered by the C18 extension.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II as an example of a mid C16 farmhouse with late C18 alterations which groups well with the Church and Church School in the centre of the village.