Plasnewydd

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on a minor road between Carno and Maesypandy, approximately 0.75km E of Carno church. The house is built on a sloping site, and faces a yard to the N flanked by C19 farm buildings, beyond which is the road.

History

Late C17 or early C18, originally of 3 storeys to the N, 4 to the S, the basement including the kitchens. The original building marked a break with tradition having a symmetrical plan giving equal status to both principal rooms on each floor, in the Renaissance style, whilst maintaining timber-framed construction. The W lateral wall was subsequently rebuilt in stone, and in 1811 the roofs were reconstructed at a lower level. Original panelling was removed to Wynnstay, Denbighshire, and was destroyed there in a fire in 1858.

Exterior

Double-pile house comprising paired gables in the N and S elevations, to either side of narrow central entrance bay; of 2 storeys plus a basement housing kitchens and service rooms. Slate roofs with projecting boarded eaves, close studded timber framing, and random rubble plinth incorporating the basement. External stack on the E side, of random rubble, but part rebuilt in brick when the roof was lowered; brick stack on the W side. The large original windows have transoms and ovolo mullions, although most of the lights are now infilled, leaving small C19 casements beneath the transoms, some with lattice glazing. To the front there are 2x 5-light windows in the upper storey, of which 2 lights to the left and one to the right are now glazed. In the lower storey are 2x 4-light windows to the left, of which 3 and 2 lights are now glazed, while to the right is a 4-light window, with 3 lights now glazed. Main roofline swept low over entrance bay. The original wide door is planked, with iron studs and a single wrought iron strap hinge with fleur-de-lys finial. The W wall is random rubble with a single window inserted at ground level. The S elevation has 5-light windows in each bay of upper and lower storeys, of which 3 to left and 4 to right are now glazed. In the window to right of the lower storey a C19 6-pane sash window is inserted into the original opening, with a 4-pane sash window to the left inserted into the frame. In the central stair passage is a 4-light window, of which 2 lights are now glazed, above an inserted window. The basement has a centrally-placed window with top hung casement under a timber lintel, inserted C19 into an original doorway. To the right is C19 5-light casement window, to the left is a mid C20 iron frame window inserted in an original opening, and a planked door under a timber lintel at the SW angle. The E wall has a C20 lean-to. In the upper storey are infilled 4-light windows either side of the stack, filled and truncated when the roof was lowered. Above the lean-to is an infilled original 4-light window. To the right of the stack is a window inserted mid C20 in the basement.

Interior

The symmetrical plan is maintained, with partitions, where visible, of timber framing in square panels. The basement has 2 kitchens and 2 service rooms, the ground floor 2 parlours and 2 service rooms, stair passage with porch, and first floor with 4 chambers. Dog-leg stair continues up into the roof space and down to the basement. The first flight has thick balusters with slanted mouldings, while the second flight and the flight to the basement has fret-cut balusters. The kitchens and parlours have 2 chamfered cross-beams each, with a single cross-beam in each of the first floor chambers. In the kitchen to the E are some original flagstones around the walls, and a large fireplace with bressumer. The first floor has two ledged and battened doors with wrought iron hinges.

Reason for designation

Listed Grade II* as an important early Renaissance house using traditional construction but innovative symmetrical planning, including complete separation of the living rooms and kitchens, and the lighting of the rooms from two sides. Retains much of its original character, including original large windows, high quality close-studding and a fine staircase.