April Cottage, formerly the Almshouses

Cadw's description

Location

To the east side of Golden Grove village, facing the street opposite the Vicarage.

History

Originally consisting of four mid/late-C19 cottages known as the Almshouses, this building is said to have been built for Lady Cawdor. The coronetted monogram SMC is displayed in a lozenge over the main entrance doorway. (This is evidently Sarah Mary Campbell, who became the second Countess Cawdor in 1860: if the coronet signifies 'Countess' then the cottages were built between 1860 and their first mention in the Census in 1881.) The cottages were occupied by four women in 1881, and are first indicated on the Ordnance Survey plan of 1886. The building is now in occupation as a single house.
The two smaller of the original cottages were in the middle range, sharing the central porch. At each end was a larger cottage facing outwards, each with its own porch. There are similar cottages on Lord Cawdor's Stackpole estate (Widows' or Cheriton Cottages, Stackpole Elidor).

Exterior

Designed as four cottages of unequal size, April Cottage is a building of H plan with gables facing the street. Local gritstone ashlar in irregular courses; tile roofs; ornamental bargeboards with finials. The middle range and the wings are of equal height. Two shared chimneys on the middle range apex. Originally single-storey but much of the roof space has now been inconspicuously converted to attic rooms.
There is a small porch centrally which originally served both of the middle cottages and remains the main entrance. Narrow round-headed outer doorway; arch voussoirs bonded with the general masonry. Double outer doors, boarded. Above the arch is a lozenge tile with monogram and coronet. On each side elevation is a similar porch, originally the entrance to one of the larger cottages, now converted to a window. Two windows each of two lights with a mullion and lattice glazing flank the porch in the middle range, and two at rear; similar four-light canted bay windows in the wings at front. The rear of both wings is now rendered and the windows are modernised. Modern rooflights at rear of main range and on left elevation. Large modern conservatory at left.

Reason for designation

A fine group of mid C19 almshouses whose architectural character remains intact notwithstanding conversion to a single house.