Maindiff Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

About 2km north east of Abergavenny approached by a lane off the Skenfrith road at the exit gate from Maindiff Court Hospital.

History

Home farmhouse for Maindiff Court built by Crawshay Bailey junior in 1876.
Crawshay Bailey II was the only son of Crawshay Bailey I, the leading ironmaster, pioneer of the coal industry and promoter of the railways. The Crawshay Baileys were one of the most powerful South Wales families of their time.

Exterior

Squared and roughly coursed rock faced red/grey sandstone rubble with yellow brick dressings and a Welsh slate roof. The main range faces the farmyard with parallel equal wings projecting behind and facing the garden. Two storeys and attics.

Yard front had three windows above but one below, all are sashes, 2 over 2 plate glass ones except for the central one which is 1 over 1. Quoined brick surrounds to the windows and bands as well as quoins. The two right hand bays of the ground floor are coverd by a tented verandah/pentice on three decorative iron columns over the kitchen door. The tops of the outer windows on the upper floor rise into bargeboarded gables with spike finials. Steeply pitched roof with two roof-lights. A decorative stone and brick stack at either end of the ridge.

Road front has two bays with small gables to the left and a large one to the right, all with bargeboards. 2 over 2 sashes, those on the upper floor have arched heads. Recessed stone panel in larger gable :-

'THIS HOUSE WAS REBUILT BY CRAWSHAY BAILEY ESQ. JANUARY 1876'.

Garden front has two equal gabled projections flanking a narrow recessed entrance and window above. Each wing has a canted bay on the ground floor with a lead roof, 2 over 2 sashes flanked by 1 over 1. The first floor has paired arched windows, 2 over 2, each gable has a 1 over 1 sash with a shouldered arch and keystone. Bargeboards with spike finials. Two stacks behind the ridge making four in all.

Rear elevation not seen.

Interior

Interior not available at the time of resurvey (June 1997).

Reason for designation

Included as the best example of the improvements made to the estate by Crawshay Bailey junior, also having group value with the stables and barn which form a partly enclosed courtyard.