The Dingle

Cadw's description

Location

Near the upper end of Mill Road, set in its own gardens reached by a short drive.

History

Built c1937, architect Sir Percy Thomas of Cardiff. Shown with photograph and plan in H M Wright's 'Small Houses' 1937 illustrating buildings in the range £500-£2500, this house being at the upper end of the range. List of materials used as quoted by Wright confirms that this house had wooden casement windows (retained) although some similar houses had metal-framed and leaded lattice glazing. Built for a sister of W North Lewis, the prominent Cardiff coal-shipper. Other similar houses are nearby. Comparison with Wright's photograph shows garage was originally end right; that has been incorporated into house with a new garage added end left.

Exterior

House, rendered and painted with tiled roof, one stack end left. 2 storeys, an asymmetrical frontage, the roof sweeping down low over eaves to right and over entrance doorway centre left which has a wide tiled surround and flat hood, boarded double doors with small glazed lights incorporating bull's eye glass. To right is a steep gable with kneelers and 3-light windows on each floor: windows are all small-pane casements with tiled sills and mostly wooden frames; one leaded light to side. Large 4-light window ground floor to right; to centre the windows are smaller with long first floor landing window under eaves; end bay left is stepped back and has 3-light windows on each floor; attached archway to garage block. To rear the projecting gable has tiled lower storey; French doors.

Interior

Plan shows lounge, dining room and kitchen all with windows to garden frontage and hall, stairs and maid's room to rear. Above are 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a boxroom.

Reason for designation

Included as a carefully designed suburban house which has retained the character of its composition designed by the most important Welsh architect of the period.