Ashfield House

Cadw's description

Location

At the top of Mount Pleasant, in the section of the A48 Newport Road known as Hardwick Hill, opposite Lower Hardwick, set in the slope below the main road on a large corner site with Bulwark Road.

History

William Davies shipbuilder of Chepstow contracted to build this house in December 1830. Former coach-house and additions made about 1890, not shown on 1882 OS map. R H Barham, author of the Ingoldsby Legends is thought to have lived here. In mid C19 was the property of Chapman, ship owner; a bell in the gable eaves was used to communicate with riverside. Dog kennels were built at rear as he was a keen huntsman. In early C20 the home of E Gould, organist. Building became derelict in late C20 and was subsequently refurbished as apartments with alterations to glazing, interior and porch, and to coach house which was converted to garage.

Exterior

Late Georgian villa converted to apartments. Plan of twin 2-storey gabled ranges plus later, smaller gabled range on S side. Colourwashed rendered walls (roughcast to S) with painted stone dressings; slate roofs with linked pairs of chamfered rendered brick stacks and shaped bargeboards with finials. Four 12-pane Gothick sash windows towards the rear yard with single storey extensions reaching to boundary wall, site of kennels. Wide diamond-pane glazing to sashes on other fronts. Entrance front has a three window first floor range with central cross-gable over triangular-headed sash window with hoodmould and diamond glazing; broad surrounds to similar windows in outer bays. Centre porch with parapet. Asymmetrical garden front with 4 windows under 3 gables; diamond-pane sashes under ramped hoodmoulds, tripartites to left bay and to ground floor. Attached at right a rear courtyard wall with pointed arched doorway.

Interior

Interior substantially remodelled into apartments.

Reason for designation

Listed for remaining character of late Georgian villa. Group value with Lower Hardwick opposite.