Duffryn Ffrwd Manor

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the road, with modern housing in the former grounds to the E and W.

History

There was a house on the site from medieval times. It was occupied by the Thomas family, who married into the Williams family after 1759. Some converted stables to the N appear to date back to this earlier period. The current house was built in the early C19 and is shown on the Eglwysilan tithe map of 1841. It has been said that it dates from c1840 and was designed by the architect David Vaughan, although this cannot be confirmed. Evan Ifor Williams, who died in the early C20, was the last squire of Nantgarw and he may have added the canted bays to the front of the house. The building was subsequently converted to flats and then a hotel, before becoming a nursing home in 1996.

Exterior

Square plan, 2-storey, 3-window house with entrance front to N. Rendered to N and E, large blocks of coursed stone to S and W. Hipped, swept slate-covered roof with wide boarded eaves, the stacks missing. Rusticated quoins. The ground floor windows are set within full-height round arches with rusticated dressings. Six-over-six-pane hornless sash windows with flat heads and stone sills. A single storey bay was added to the front c1900, and consists of a canted porch and canted bay window to the R, with continuous balustraded parapets. The original window within its full-height arch is retained to the L. The doorway and canted bay window have moulded segmental heads and a continuous impost band, beneath which is banded rustication. Double panelled front doors with plain overlight, flanked by narrow sashes with flat heads. The canted bay window has horned sashes with no glazing bars. To the E, large late C20 extensions obscure the lower storey windows. In the centre of the upper storey is a round-headed stairlight with intersecting tracery. To the R is a blind or blocked window in the same form as elsewhere, between which is a small 4-pane window rising to the eaves.

The S and W sides have whitened ashlar under the full-height arches, including flat arches with keystones over the windows. Flat arches with voussoirs to upper storey windows just beneath the eaves. The S garden front has narrow French doors to the centre, probably late C20 replacements, under a 6-pane overlight with flat head of voussoirs. The doorway is flanked by full-height round arches, the window to the L altered to form French doors beneath the retained upper sash.

Interior

Inside the porch are half-glazed double doors flanked by side lights, within a doorcase with cornice supported on brackets. Arched panels beneath the lights. These doors lead into an L-shaped hall divided by a half-glazed partition. Decorated ceiling cornice with flower bosses and modillions. To the rear of the hall, the stairs lead up to the L, at the base of which is a wide elliptical arch with panelled soffit. Dog-leg staircase with plain metal uprights and moulded handrail which curves into a spiral at the base. Panelling to side walls. The stairlight contains stained glass depicting 2 owls in a tree. At the top of the stairs is another elliptical arch, the landing divided by a late C20 partition.

Detail in the house includes decorated moulded ceiling roses and cornices, dado rails, and panelled doors in panelled surrounds. The partition wall between the 2 main front rooms has been removed, and may have incorporated the fireplaces. The larger W room has a ceiling cornice decorated with leaves and scrolls in relief, and a ceiling rose with acanthus leaves. The E room also has a pronounced ceiling rose. The NW room, accessed from the hall, has a cornice with palmettes and stylised egg and dart decoration.

Reason for designation

Listed for its architectural interest as manor house retaining its character and with Adam-style influence.