Cae-pw-cella including attached milestone

Cadw's description

Location

About 150m west of Shirenewton Hall beside the road towards Llanvair Discoed.

History

A large Tudor Revival villa of c1840 which was probably built as the Rectory. The house was refurbished internally in about 1900, this work could have been done by Eric Francis of Chepstow; and has had some alterations in the late C20, including new windows and three small conservatory extensions on the rear elevation.

Exterior

The house is built of squared and coursed quarry faced red sandstone rubble and has Welsh slate roofs. It is centrally planned in a main rectangular block with rear and service wings, with an apparently random or 'picturesque' appearance. The entrance elevation has the main house to the left and the service wing to the right; all are two storeys, although with a varied roofline. From the left is a two bay block with a rectangular bay window next to an external stack. The window is 1 + 5 + 1 lights with ashlar mullions and transom, all 4 over 8 panes, castellated parapet over. Mullion-and-transom window to the right, again with 4 over 8 panes; a 3-light and a 2-light casement above. Gable over the 2-light one with fretted bargeboards and pendant. Tall two flue stack with another on the ridge behind and a third on the right hand gable. Scalloped bargeboards to the main gable. Next a set back bay with a gabled porch below and a 2-light small paned casement above. Next a large forward facing gable for the kitchen wing with 2-light casements and scalloped bargeboards. Wing to the right with casements as before and another two flue chimney in the angle.
The garden (west) elevation has three bays. First the projecting corner tower which is blind. This runs into a 3-light small paned window below with the centre light lengthened into a door, and a modern plastic 3-light casement above. A projecting wing with a tall two flue stack; this has a 3-light window with central door below as before and a stone framed 2-light one above. Fretted bargeboards with pendant and finial. Finally a two storey canted bay window 1 + 2 + 1 with small paned windows and a castellated parapet. These two sections have an attached iron and glass verandah canopy which is probably an addition although not a recent one.
The rear elevation has three added timber and glass conservatories, modern 2 and 3-light casements under two gables with fretted bargeboards and a three storey castellated tower with small windows.
Attached to the exterior corner of the front lean-to on the entrance elevation is an early C19 turnpike milestone which is inscribed :
To CARDIFF 10 To NEWPORT 2 To LONDON 148.
This has been relocated from the A48 between Cardiff and Newport.

Interior

Centrally planned around a stairhall with a stained pine stair of Jacobean type. There are also fireplaces and panelling like this which must be a c1900 refurbishment which could well have been designed by Eric Francis of Chepstow. There is a c1840 white marble classical style fireplace in one room.

Reason for designation

Included as a Tudor Revival villa dating from c1840 which, although subject to some changes, has retained its character.