Lulworth House, including attached railings

Cadw's description

Location

Part of the group of historic buildings to N of the parish church of St. Mary's in a street branching off the main commercial centre of Abergavenny.

History

Early C18, but possibly with an older core i.e. 1690 and re-modelled 1740, altered in the early C19 and externally little changed since.

Exterior

Roughcast and painted front, probably over local rubblestone, with a natural slate roof. Double depth plan with central entrance. Roughly symmetrical two storey elevation with five windows on the first floor. Ground floor has a C19 type door with two glazed vertical panels, moulded architrave, flat hood on heavy brackets. Unevenly spaced tripartite sashes on either side, 6 over 6 pane sashes flanked by 2 over 2 pane. First floor windows are all 6 over 6 pane flash framed sashes, the gap between the one over the door and the flanking ones is slightly wider. High steeply pitched roof hipped on the left and gabled, with a ridge stack, on the right; two flat-topped dormers with early C20 steel casements. Railed forecourt with plain wrought iron spike railings and gate. Cellar to left front with entrance door.
Rear wing on the left side behind the hip.
Rear elevation not inspected.

Interior

The interior shows features of both the early C18 and the early C19 and there are also late C20 divisions, especially on the ground floor. The staircase is early C19 and has stick balusters and a continuous handrail, but it has been altered from its original form. Early C19 joinery, panelled doors etc. Ground floor otherwise not seen at resurvey. The first floor rear room has a coved early C18 plaster ceiling and another room has a heavy rectangle with an oval within it in early C18 plaster moulding. The attic shows heavy principal rafters with trenched purlins, the rafters being set into the wall-head in the semi-cruck fashion, hip-cruck construction at west end.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well preserved early C18 house retaining its character, which is a part of the group of historic buildings around the Church of St. Mary.