White Oaks (aka Rosminian Convent)

Cadw's description

Location

At the end of a short lane now fronting the A48 dual carriageway.

History

Reputedly built 1928 for private owner later converted to convent. The Rosminian movement was introduced into Great Britain in 1835, having been founded by the Italian Antonio Rosmini(1797-1855) in 1828; he also founded the religious order known as the Institute of Charity. Centred in E and Central England and SE Wales, the mission was a form of Catholic Revival following the Catholic Emancipation of 1829. In 1854 Bishop Brown of Cardiff enlisted Rosmini's assistance in pastoral work in the rapidly expanding area of Cardiff and one church, St David's, was assigned to the Rosminians and served by Italian priests; St Peter's, their main church, was built later. The Rosminians together with the Rosminian Sisters of Providence went on to establish school chapels in many Cardiff districts. In spite of some later diversification, the Rosminian movement formed the basis of Catholicism in both Cardiff and Newport.

Exterior

House in late Arts and Crafts style with some Art Deco features. Rendered, the render moulded to create shallow pilasters and platbands; roof of small slates with stepped tile kneelers; overhanging eaves with boarded or rendered soffit; 2 tall narrow rendered ridge stacks with shaped lead flashings. Windows are all metal-framed casements with leaded quarries. Symmetrical entrance frontage of 3 bays, the central entrance bay with hipped roof breaks forward; single window to first floor, side lights, and on ground floor a 30s-style doorway of moulded ashlar with large decorative keystone. To right the roof, incorporating small single-pitch roofed attic lights, sweeps down low over 2 ground floor casements, to left over garage double doors and adjacent casement. Main garden elevation has a central 5 window range of 6/6 pane casements under the eaves, 10/10 pane casements to ground floor with central double French door; roof sweeps down low to each wider end bay, over a window to left and over a garden alcove to right.

Interior

Converted for use as convent. No interior fittings of special note, though reputedly Austrian oak was used and all the 25 internal oak doors comprising a single panel in a raised surround are retained; fireplaces replaced.

Reason for designation

Included as an invidually designed house from the inter-war period.