Court Calmore Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Situated some 300m down lane running S from B4386 just W of Caerhowell crossroads.

History

Large two-storey farmhouse remodelled in earlier C19, but of C17 or earlier origins. The site is said to be that of a medieval farm of Chirbury Priory, and the N transept of the parish church is said to have been built for the priory's Court Calmore tenants in the C13. Richard, Lord Herbert left £4 per annum in the C17 for education, three pounds to be paid from Pantymaen and one from Court Calmore. Owned by the Powis estate, occupied by Charles Lloyd, of the Plas Trefaldwyn family in 1839, by Robert Groves in 1880, by the Vaughan family c. 1900.

Exterior

Detached large farmhouse, painted stucco with slate flat-eaved roof and two red brick ridge stacks. Stucco plinth and quoins. Two storeys, four bays, the two centre bays closer spaced than the outer ones, with cast-iron small-paned casement windows, the ground floor ones longer, with larger panes and with transoms, the upper ones with tiny panes and all four sills at slightly different levels. The two left bays have cross-windows to ground floor, casement-pair to first floor left and very slightly longer small cross-window above to right. The third bay has a smaller casement pair over doorway with painted timber earlier C19 doorcase with thin panelled pilasters, fascia and flat moulded hood on brackets. Six-panel C19 door with four-pane overlight. The fourth bay has a large triple casement below and a casement pair above set considerably higher than the other upper windows.
Right end wall has small lean-to addition with chamfered corners and canted hipped roof. Left gable has 12-pane horned sash window with brick sill on ground floor, renewed casement-pair to first floor and.
Rear has a gable at each end, with altered windows in uPVC. One storey wing projects from left gable with cross-window to yard and lean-to porch.

Interior

Interior not inspected. In 1983 there was an old ledged door in service end of house. Elsewhere there were four-panel and six-panel doors and an earlier C19 staircase with square balusters. A large stopped and chamfered axial ceiling beam was on the ground floor, and similar beams were said to be on the first floor.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a large farmhouse of early origins, and with good early C19 character including locally distinctive small paned iron windows.