Former Stables at Hendrefoilan

Cadw's description

Location

Located to the NW of Hendrefoilan House off the road which leads through the Hendrefoilan student village. Hendrefoilan Road, a narrow lane, runs immediately to the rear.

History

The stables are probably contemporary with Hendrefoilan House, which was built in 1853 for Lewis Llwellyn Dillwyn. The house is by William B Colling and was laid out in its own grounds on the site of an earlier farmhouse. There are the remains of kitchen gardens and glass houses as well as the house and stables.

The estate was purchased in 1964 by University College Swansea, and the stables were converted to an education library which was opened in 1989.

Exterior

Long symmetrical 2-storey range, with advanced gabled bay to centre. Lower flanking wings at right angles to front, forming a yard. Constructed of snecked stone under slate roofs. Horned sash windows in square-headed stone surrounds. The advanced bay has a wide 4-centred entrance arch of voussoirs now infilled with glazing. Two 12-pane sashes to upper storey, and a blind roundel above, which may have contained a clock. A bell cupola rises from the ridge, with a finial supporting a weather vane. The advanced bay is flanked by pairs of windows, 4-over 8-pane above, and 16-pane below. That to the bottom L is now converted to a door. The flanking ranges are 1-and-a-half storeys to the L and 1-storey to the R, with small square 4-pane windows in heavy surrounds. The gable end of the L range has a window to each storey, whilst a glazed lean-to entrance corridor has been built against the interior side. Three windows to outer (W) side, one double. Skylights to roof. The R range has a double 4-pane window to the gable end, and similar style windows to the outer E side. The interior side contains an integral wood planked screen with added half-lit door. It is lit above by a continuous row of 4-pane windows. A short wall projecting from the SE angle helps to support a large open-side steel canopy with glazed hipped roof, 2-bay to the front, and 3-bay to the W, with bracing to the angle posts.
The W gable end of the main range has 16-pane sash windows, 2 at ground floor level and 1 above. The rear is built into a bank and is partially below the level of Hendrefoilan Road. Central gabled bay with a 16-pane sash window. To the R is an inserted doorway approached by a walkway under a shallow raked dormer. Sky lights to roof.

Interior

The interior is now converted to a library.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of a substantial C19 stable block, adapted with modern additions to a library.
Group value with Hendrefoilan House.