The Gwentlands

Cadw's description

Location

S of the main hillside road W of Chepstow near its junction with Bulwark Road - Old Bulwark Road forming a crescent off this. Set in large grounds with drive.

History

Circa 1830 with substantial additions c 1890. The original smaller building is probably Hardwick Lodge on the map of 1835. In C20 part converted to flats. Former walled garden to rear, redeveloped for housing.

Exterior

Small Regency country house with Victorian additions. Walls stucco rendered; hipped slate roof with narrow brick stacks and projecting eaves with paired brackets. Plan of original rectangular house with entry at E and large later cross wing extending further out E and to W. 2 storey plus basement and attic Entrance frontage has a 3-window range of sashes with thin glazing bars, 16-pane to first floor, and a fourth small sash set back to right hand end linking with the extension. Ground floor splayed bay to left with 15-pane tall sashes. Late Victorian classical Bath stone porch with banded pilasters and arched keyblocked entrance; adjoining it is a contemporary single storey bay with 4 arched windows which extends right to link with the 2-storey cemented extension range. This has a hipped slate roof with pale brick chimneys at eaves, plate glass sash windows. Three window garden front with (added?) block pediments on volutes to ground floor with outer tripartite sashes and central niche; small-pane sashes with thin glazing bars. 3 window rear with wide ashlar splayed bay (also added ca 1890) to ground floor right. 2-storey service range, also with small-pane sashes, tall blue-brick stack and end left bay projecting, also fronts yard on N side of house. N elevation retains lime render and a range of sash windows

Interior

Interior retains panelled shutters, doors and reveals from the original period and some furnishings from the later refurbishment. A cantlevered stair with decorative cast-iron balustrade is probably from the original period.

Reason for designation

Listed as a house with early C19 origins retaining much of its character.