Sutton

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a steep hillside which descends S to the sea. On the S side of Sutton Road, the original route through the village. The house is cut into the rock at the N end.

History

Originally, early C17 one-unit, hearth-passage house. A hall, with chamber above, entered through the seaward (S) gable end. Said to be one of the earliest surviving farm-houses on the Glamorgan coast. Shown on a survey of the Dunraven Estate of 1779. The added S unit is C19 and does not appear to have earlier origins. Much of the fenestration, the stacks and half dormers are also C19. There was formerly a rear lean-to, but this was replaced by a rear wing in the late C20.

Exterior

Two-unit house of one-and-a-half storeys with large C20 rear wing. Rubble stone under a slate roof, the rear rendered. Masonry stack to S end and ridge stack L of centre. There was formerly a N end stack (now removed). The front faces E with late C20 gabled porch to L of centre. Chamfered stone Tudor-arched doorway with diagonal-cut stops, probably re-set from elsewhere. To the R of the entrance and lighting the hall is a 3-light window with sunk-chamfered Sutton stone mullions, jambs, sills and head with multi-pane glazing under a hoodmould. This is the only surviving C17 window. The remaining windows are C19, in a similar style, but constructed of softer stone. There is a 2-light window L of the porch, and one cutting through the eaves to the R of centre. Two gabled half-dormers containing 2-light windows, one towards each end.

The S gable end has a small top-hung window in similar C19 stone surround, offset to the L in the upper storey. C20 multi-pane window below. The stack is corbelled. The S front wall of the C20 rear wing has 3 gabled half-dormers. No openings to N gable end. Battered plinth to rear wall of main range.

Interior

The C17 hall has a large dressed stone fireplace to the S with no lintel. To its R are the cross-corner, stone fireplace stairs with chamfered Tudor-arched stone doorway with diagonal-cut stops. To the L of the fireplace is the entrance into the hall. This also has a chamfered Tudor-arched stone doorway although it has been heightened. Three cross beams to hall, with filleted cut stops, that above the fireplace supported on corbels.

The room to the S of the hall has a narrow chamfered spine beam with cut stops and a blocked fireplace in the S wall. The main staircase is in the C20 rear wing along with the kitchen. Wooden shutters to windows.

Reason for designation

Listed as a very rare example of a one-unit house, notwithstanding later additions to main front and rear.