The Vicarage

Cadw's description

Location

Immediately E of the churchyard.

History

An C18 vicarage, with C19 and later additions to the L side and rear. The vicarage was the childhood home of literary critic Lorna Sage (1943-2001).

Exterior

A Georgian 2½-storey 3-window house of brick with slate roof on dentil eaves and behind coped gables, and brick end stacks partly rebuilt and reduced in height in the C20. The central entrance has a doorcase with cornice on consoles, panel reveals and panel door. Windows are segmental-headed 2-light casements, with transoms, inserted in the C20 into original openings. In the R gable end are windows on the L side in each storey. Both are 16-pane hornless sashes under earlier and narrower segmental heads. A 1-storey C20 extension to the L gable end, replacing an earlier coach house, has a 2-light window similar to the main range, and dentil eaves.

In the 3-window rear elevation, which has projecting eaves, is an original 2-storey canted bay window on the L side. This has a 2-light lower-storey window, and 16-pane first-floor window, both replacing earlier French doors, of which the first-floor opened to a balcony. In the centre the lower storey is painted white (and formerly opened to a lean-to conservatory). It has a glazed door in a surround with Tuscan pilasters, and a round-headed niche to the L. In the first-floor is a 16-pane hornless sash window lighting the stair. The attic has 8-pane hornless sash windows. On the R side is a 2-storey flat-roof projection, which has a 4-light floor-length window in the lower storey, and 16-pane horned sash to the first-floor window, replacing earlier French doors.

Interior

The house has a double-depth plan with central entrance hall and stair to the rear. The full-height open-well stair has turned balusters and square newels. In the lower storey the L-hand room at the front has a spine beam with ogee stop. On the first floor, rooms on the L side also have spine beams. Beneath the stair is a boarded door to brick steps to the brick-lined cellar.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a well-preserved Georgian vicarage retaining external character and interior plan and detail. With other buildings in The Square it contributes to the overall historical integrity of the original village centre, and enhances the setting of the church.