Ifton Hill House

Cadw's description

Location

At the east end of Portskewett Community about 500m south of Parkwall roundabout on the A48.

History

A basically C17 three unit house which may have earlier origins. It is said to have been first built in 1452 by Lewis of St Pierre. It remained a part of the St Pierre estate until 1927 when it was purchased by Monmouthshire County Council and split up for small holdings. It has a wing, The Old Cottage (qv) which probably pre-dates it and another Dairy Cottage (qv) which is said to have been added in 1820. These are both listed separately. There is also a central rear wing apparently mid C19, though this could date with Dairy Cottage.

Exterior

The house is constructed of roughly coursed sandstone with a Bridgewater tile roof. It is a rectangular three unit single depth cross-passage house with later additions. The road elevation has the left hand room hidden behind Dairy Cottage. This is of two storeys with a door with a rectangular light over and a 3-light mullion-and-transom timber window above and another 3-light one below, and a cross-framed casement above on the return. The openings facing forward are framed in red brick. Hipped roof with a truncated stack to the left. Next comes the entrance to the cross-passage, a panelled door with a flat hood. To the right of the door is a blind wall, perhaps with blocked window, then a small single light window, then a 3-light timber one, with three cross-framed casements above. The way these windows are arranged suggests that there have been alterations, and there is another small blocked window between the two right hand upper ones. Two ridge stacks, one backing onto the cross-passage for the hall and one on the right hand gable for the kitchen. The left gable end is a part of The Old Cottage (qv), the right one is blind apart from a tiny garret window. The rear elevation is partly hidden by Dairy Cottage (qv) on the left and The Old Cottage on the right. The ground floor has a 3-light timber casement to the left, then a modern part glazed door, then a modern casement in the blocked cross-passage doorway then another 3-light casement. Above are three cross-framed casements and a small modern window.

Interior

The interior has been much changed. The cross-passage is blocked. The old kitchen has a reconstructed fireplace. The hall has a fireplace with massive jambs and a lintel which is broken in two. The roof was not seen but is evidently the same principal rafter type as can be seen in The Old Cottage (qv) which includes a part of the main range roof.

Reason for designation

Included as a C17 farmhouse which was enlarged in the C19 and retains historic features characteristic of the different periods.