Whitson Court including attached pavilions and garden walls

Cadw's description

Location

Set back on E side of road 800m S of electricity substation.

History

Country house built for William Phillips (1752-1836). The house has traditionally been ascribed to John Nash, architect, who is known to have been in Newport in 1791 to design a bridge over the Usk. Whitson is recorded in 1791, by James Baker as "completing by Nash". Richard Suggett has drawn attention to similarities between Whitson and other known works by Nash. Against this, Thomas Lloyd has drawn attention to the similarity of Whitson Court with Coytrahen, Bettws, and Iscoed, St Ishmael's, both attributed to Keck; it remains possible that Whitson was begun by Keck, but completed by Nash. The house had a porch added, circa 1860's, and the front windows were reglazed shortly afterwards. Early in the C20, the house became a convent and Christian college, before reverting to private ownership.

Exterior

Three storeys, over vaulted basement. Brick with bathstone dressings, dentil cornice and parapet; slate roofs, brick chimneys. Five window W front, horned sash windows with marginal glazing bars; square windows to second floor, stone band course between first and ground floors; ground floor windows set in shallow arched recesses with bandcourse at springing of arches. Central Italianate porch in matching materials; paired Doric pilasters to ends, entablature with enriched decoration to parapet; round arched doorway with keystone. South (R) elevation of 3 windows, outer windows blind, to centre, 9-pane sash to second floor, 12-pane sash to first floor, steps up to doorway (modern door). Rear has 4 (asymmetrical) windows to second floor; 5 (asymmetrical) windows to first floor. On ground floor, steps up to central doorway with wrought-iron porch, to L, square bay window (early C20?), to R, tripartite sash window.

Main block of house links via brick court walls to N and S service pavilions, aligned E-W. South pavilion (Stables), brick on grey stone foundations, hipped slate roof, brick chimneys, each end has shallow arched recess with blind window, long sides have central archway through to courtyard, round window above; S side has blind arcade to ground floor (later glazing). North pavilion similar to S but partially ruinous to rear. Low rear walls to E of house in brick with stone gatepiers, and iron railings.

Interior

The house is built on vaulted basement (flooded at time of inspection). Interior retains much historic character including virtually all its plaster cornices and friezes, and contemporary classicising fireplaces to most of principal rooms and some bedrooms, as well as most of original doors. Hall with archway to apsidal stair-hall with top-lit Geometrical Stair with stick banisters, camber-headed doorway beneath stairs. Arches to lobbies off which are corridor rooms (currently small kitchen and store-room), and principal rooms. In SW corner is Drawing room (wall between room and hall removed). In NW corner is Dining room. In SE corner Morning room, fireplace made up from copies of bas-reliefs of classical scenes. In NE corner is former Kitchen. Rear stair C19 Jacobethan. Landing has stick balusters to stairs, cornice and fluted frieze to light above stairs which has modern glazing.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as fine example of smaller country house.