Llanwenarth House

Cadw's description

Location

Small country house set in its own grounds to the south of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and reached by a private drive from the B 4246. On western boundary of the Community Council area.

History

The fabric has C16 origins with alterations in several successive phases in C17, C19 and C20. It is recorded as having been built in mid C16 for Sir Morgan Lloyd, who became rector of the parish in 1539. The plan-form was originally of traditional cross-passage type but was centralised in the C19 remodelling. Formerly known as Ty Mawr.

Exterior

The tall and compact main block is of 3-storeys and has a 3-bay gabled front; later 2-storey additions to left and rear. Rubble, once limewashed, with dressings only to the windows; slate roofs and stone chimney stacks with C19 octagonal flues. The main (east) front is asymmetrical with an offset full-height storeyed porch, the gable of which also has an apparently decorative chimney; the gable set back to the right is similarly broad but that to the left is narrower. Originally would have had bargeboards. Although the character of the large windows is Jacobethan the positioning of the entrance probably reflects the earlier origins and the former existence of a cross-passage plan with hall to right. The windows are mostly 3-light, timber-framed, and small-pane glazed with Tudor hoodmoulds as retained on 2nd floor; below some of the windows and hoodmoulds have been replaced or renewed. Many of the windows have relieving arches. Main entrance has moulded and stopped four-centred arched doorway with half-glazed doors. Twin-gabled right hand side, the right hand one of which is stepped back; French window to ground floor. On rear gable end of this wing, at 1st floor level, is an enormous relieveing arch to a blocked opening; blocked opening to attic. Beyond this wing are inset doveboxes on the outer side of the rear courtyard; on the inner side is a lean-to including a four-centred arched doorway. The left hand gable end of the main block has corbelled out lateral chimney breast. Projecting small 2-storey wing with C19 2-light stone-mullioned windows and modern porch in the angle. In courtyard to rear is a small vaulted undercroft with a Tudor stone head and monolithic jamb to right.

Interior

The character of the ground-floor is Regency and Victorian while the principal surviving early feature is the roof structure. Entrance is onto an outer hall with a Victorian Gothic inner doorway enriched with a reeded surround and quatrefoil bosses; half-glazed inner doors. The main rooms, with similar square-headed doorcases and 6-panel doors, open off the corridor which is on the line of the sub-medieval cross-passage; introduced Adamesque frieze. At the rear is a fine broadly winding staircase top-lit by an octagonal lantern; it also has a panelled dado, S-shaped tread ends and the newel and some of the reeded uprights are cast-iron. A passage leads off the base of the staircase to the C19 wing has a recently uncovered small C16 stone-framed window set into the wall; it is hollow-chamfered with socket for iron stanchion. Of particular interest is the remarkable roof structure which reuses C16 upper-cruck oak trusses; possibly from an earlier half-timbered building on the site. The main range is 5½-bays and the western cross range is 3-bays. Tie beams have been removed but three tiers of purlins retained and the principals and the collars are chamfered with diagonal stops. Several blocked windows and one surviving hollow-chamfered mullioned window.

Reason for designation

Listed Grade II* as a substantial house of sub-medieval origin and retaining good interiors.