Old Court

Cadw's description

Location

Associated with the continuous run of historic buildings in Nevill Street and situated beside the site of Tudor Street gate.

History

A possibly late medieval house built partly on the town wall. Plaque on the house states wall here is 6 ft (1.8 metres) thick. The house may have originated in c1500 but was much altered and extended in c1600, c1700 and c1800. Hall-and-cross-wing to right with two storeys and attic which has a c1600 form, and to the left a chamber block probably added in c1700 (cf Exterior). The older section was re-windowed in the early C19 but otherwise there has been little change since then on the main elevation but more so on the garden front. The present house, while certainly older (see Interior), has a mostly early C18 and C19 character and appearance and has largely C20 features on the rear elevation.

Exterior

Wholly rendered and painted, probably over rubblestone, with natural slate roof. Hall-and-cross-wing plan with additional block on the west. Two and three storeys.
Entrance elevation (north-east) has five windows in all, 2 + 2 + 1. To the left a 3 over 3 pane sash with, to the right, a Doric doorcase with broken pediment, 6-panel door and plain fanlight; above there are two 8 over 8 pane sashes. Plain moderately pitched roof with stack to left gable. Next is the recessed gabled cross-wing which has two 3 over 3 pane sashes on each floor and one in the gable. Finally comes the hall wing with smaller 3 over 3 pane sashes on each floor and a very large lateral stack to the right. The return to the street has a small window to the ground floor.
Rear elevation shows that the chamber block may be older than c1800 since the roof pitch appears steeper on this side; lean-to conservatory below and canted oriel above. The gabled cross-wing has an additional late C20 single storey gabled wing, two plain casements on the first floor and gabled dormer in the hipped roof end.
The garden elevation of the left wing has been altered with later features.

Interior

The interior of the lower floors have been very altered with no historic features seen. The upper floor has a spiral oak stair to the attic and there is at least one 2-panel door. The attics have an M-profile roof in the principal wing and single elsewhere. There are revealed principal rafter roofs in both the main range and the cross-wing. These have trenched purlins, ashlar pieces (short vertical timbers supporting the rafters) and ridge pieces but the secondary rafters have nearly all gone as re-roofing has taken place. Seen evidence is not earlier than c1700 (see History).

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a C16 and later house which is a part of the most important group of historic buildings in Abergavenny.