'Peach House' at Plas Llangattwg including attached former boiler-house

Cadw's description

Location

Located in the kitchen gardens at Plas Llangattwg. The W end of the structure forms part of a long masonry wall which divides the formal gardens from the kitchen gardens.

History

Regency-style curved glass-house, c1820-30. A stone lean-to building adjoins to the N and housed the boiler. These structures are on the site of former cottages, dating back to at least the early C18, and the masonry wall to the W is part of this phase. Plas Llangattwg, home of the Morgan family, dates from the Tudor period, it was largely rebuilt in the early C18 and substantially remodelled in the late C18. The building of the Peach House may date from the time when the Morgan family regained ownership of the property.

Exterior

Wrought iron-framed glass house on a brick plinth forming a lean-to against a rubble stone wall to the N. The W gable wall is of masonry but with a brick coping. The ironwork has a curved profile. It is supported on iron ribs which run from the top to ground level, following the general profile of the superstructure. It consists of diamond section vertical glazing bars which are closely spaced. Most of the original glass survives intact. The panes lap without horizontal bars. The E gable end of the glass house is also of wrought iron. The glass panes are uniform but with horizontal as well as vertical glazing bars. This end contains a half-glazed wrought iron door with 25 panes. The W masonry wall contains a wood panelled door within a doorcase, which leads into the formal garden.

To the rear of the N wall is the lean-to boiler house, now used as a garden shed, which provided heating for the glass-house. It is of rubble masonry under a slate roof. It has a planked entrance in the E end, and two 2-casement windows with quarries under segmental heads with voussoirs and stone sills. Opposite this entrance, in the boundary wall of Plas Llangattwg is a small blocked opening where the coal was delivered. The dividing wall between greenhouse and boiler house continues to the E with a square headed doorway, providing access between the two.

Interior

A row of slender cast iron columns supports the roof. Inside is a cast iron water tank and cast iron slats where the heating originally entered the building via underground pipes. The floor is tiled. (The glass house is still in use for growing peaches and tomatoes.)

Reason for designation

Graded II* as an exceptionally good example of an early C19 garden building.

Group value with associated listed items at Plas Llangattwg.