Bacheldre Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Located in the hamlet of Bacheldre close to Bacheldre Malthouse and Bacheldre Farmhouse on low lying ground. The house is fronted by a driveway and garden, with farm buildings to the S.

History

The house was constructed in two phases. The earliest phase is represented by the range of a large sub-medieval house, which may once have been joined to a second range, resulting in a T-shaped plan (RCAHMW). The position of an inscribed gable bressumer (see interior) on the N side of the range implies that the original entrance was on the N side, possibly implying a lobby entry plan. The second phase is a substantial Georgian front. The inscribed gable bressumer bears a date of 1615 and the initials E.R.O., said to refer to E.R. Oakley. The house is said to have been an inn at one time. Shown on Tithe Map of 1840 as House, Buildings, etc. owned by Edward Farmer.

Exterior

The Georgian front is of 3 bays with a short right angled wing to the rear which links with the sub-medieval range. 3 storeys and cellar. It is constructed of random rubble with timber noggings, rendered on the exterior, and is under a slate roof with two brick end stacks and a central stack. The latter may have formed part of the sub-medieval house. The front elevation has a central, panelled door with overlight. Its doorcase has fluted pilasters and a small cornice supported by consoles under which is a timber tympanum with V-shaped struts. The symmetrically-placed windows are hornless sashes with stone sills, 6 panes in the attic and 12 to the first floor. The ground floor windows are tripartite sashes, with internal shutters, panelled reveals and fluted architraves. There is a high stairlight on the N of its rear wing under a rounded arch with small panes and traceried glazing.

The sub-medieval range is timber-framed, though much has been rendered over. An exception is the S side which has one row of close studding below the gable bressumer. There are some areas of masonry in the lower storey. On the N side is a modern 2-storey, masonry lean-to. The truncated W stack is partially external, and would have connected with the bakeoven, but the bakehouse has been demolished. There is a modern half lit door with overlight to the N of it. The windows are mainly small pane casements with some sashes.

Interior

The Georgian front has a central hallway with reception rooms to the sides and a staircase on the N side in the rear wing. There is a very large fireplace in the centre of the wing, backing onto the sub-medieval section. Features include panelled walls, doorways and reveals plus a panelled archway in the hall. The cellar, beneath the N end, used to be accessible from both inside and outside the hall and has flag stone floor and steps.Its ceiling contains 2 spine beams with medium chamfers and cut stops which may be reused timbers.

The sub-medieval rear range is open plan on the ground floor and is now used as a kitchen. The ceiling contains substantial spine beams and cross beams with deep chamfers and short ogee stops. There are two dragon beams at the S end suggesting a former jetty. A wattle and daub panel can be seen on the exterior of the E side. There is a secondary staircase in the SE corner which contains boxed oak treads and is probably of some age, and a large fireplace on the W side at an angle to the wall, also visible on the exterior. The first floor bathroom occupies a lean-to on the N side of the building and at the top of its S wall is a very long gable bressumer with an inscription: Ja: 28 | E R O | ANNO DONI : 1615 | with an oak leaf inscribed at each end. O. is said to stand for Oakley and there are other oak leaf motifs throughout the house including on the window architraves. The base of the bressumer is moulded and it is likely that this gable was jettied also. Trusses are visible in the attic and are of queen post type with 2 purlins. There is a blocked cast iron window at the N end, probably in its original position.

Reason for designation

Listed for its fine and virtually unaltered Georgian range, with the substantial remains of an exceptionally large, sub-medieval, timber-framed and jettied range to the rear which is also of considerable interest.