Model Farm, Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

About 2km south west of the Church of St Thomas a Becket approached down a long cul-de-sac lane off the south side of the road to Usk.

History

Early/mid C19 model farm built for the Duke of Beaufort. It is late Georgian in appearance but it does not appear on the Tithe Map which was registered in 1841, although it will have been surveyed up to five years earlier. From its appearance the farm must date from very soon after the survey. Model Farm was part of the estate sold by the Duke of Beaufort in 1900 to Henry Simpson of Tredean and later to Sir Edward Curre of Itton Court.

Exterior

Built of coursed red sandstone rubble with hipped Welsh slate roof. Square two storey block with the roof hipped each way and a central valley over the staircase. Three bay entrance front with central arched panelled door with fanlight. This is flanked by 3-light iron framed casements in elliptical heads, three 2-light ones above. Side elevation of three windows, mostly 2-light, one 3-light, some single light, a few are non-matching replacement timber windows. The rear elevation has the service door and less formally arranged windows.

Interior

Only the ground floor was seen at re-survey. This is plainly finished but demonstrates that the planning remains unchanged. Stick baluster stair in the centre of the house.

Reason for designation

Included as a little altered late Georgian farmhouse which has group value with the other buildings of the model farm, the roundhouse and the mill house.