Church Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of the village, about 150m SW of the church of St Michael, set back on the S side of the old road between Monmouth and Raglan, in the E angle of the minor road running S to Mitchel Troy Common.

History

Built probably in the mid to later C16 as a 2-storeyed farmhouse, raised to 3 storeys and otherwise enlarged probably in the late C18 or early C19. According to Bradney it was the residence of the lesser-gentry Tyler family until the late C18, then let to a farmer and subsequently sold to the duke of Beaufort.

Exterior

White-painted roughcast render on sandstone rubble, with a blue slate roof and red brick gable chimneys. Belying the early structure within, the tall and sheer (not to say severe) 3-storey, 3-window N facade appears typical of the late C18/early C19, all the openings being of that character except the doorway. Offset slightly right of centre, and protected by a square porch with a pyramidal roof, the doorway has a chamfered Tudor-arched surround and a heavy vertically-panelled door. To the left at ground floor is a square window with coupled 12-pane sashes; to the right, a square 3-light small-paned casement window. The 1st floor has 3 small segmental-headed casements, and the top floor has 3 smaller 2-light casements immediately beneath the eaves, with 4 panes to each light. Attached to the right-hand (W) gable wall is a lean-to kitchen, recently raised to 2 storeys, which has modern openings including a doorway which is now the usual entrance. (A large 2-storey wing to the rear of that, formerly an agricultural building but now enlarged as an extension to the house, links to a former barn which is now a separate property.) The rear elevation has 2 windows on each floor, similar in shape to those at the front but irregularly disposed and mostly with altered glazing.

Interior

The main doorway opens into a space which is now a short axial passage, but vacant mortices in a lateral ceiling beam slightly W of the doorway suggest that there was formerly either a broad cross-passage or a central service room (such as a dairy) between the main rooms to E and W, both of which have unusually high ceilings. The principal room to the E has ceiling beams and joists of exceptionally high quality, and a very large stone fireplace at the E gable wall. The beams , which are lateral, at 150cm centres (one against the chimney breast), are 30cm wide and elaborately decorated, with roll-mouldings separated by hollow moulding brought to run-out stops; and the joists, which are at 30cm centres and 10cm wide and, are similarly decorated. The fireplace opening, which is 186cm wide and 135cm high, under a massive monolithic lintel about 95cm deep, has a chamfered surround. In the SE corner to its right is a spiral staircase. In the main room to the W (now integrated with the former central volume) is a fireplace 150cm wide and 123cm high, with a chamfered lintel. To the right (N) of the chimney breast a short passage leads to the lean-to kitchen, and in the NW corner is a ¼-turned staircase which appears to have been inserted.
The upper floors have modern inserted partitioning forming guest rooms (etc.).

Reason for designation

Included as a multi-phase house with early interior fabric of high quality.