The Old Rectory

Cadw's description

Location

At the north end of Llangan village about 50m to the west of the Church of St. Canna.

History

A mid C16 single cell end entry house, presumably a Rectory from the first, which became incorporated in a longer 2-cell cross-passage range in the early C17 and then incorporated again into a much larger c1900 house by the addition of a complete parallel range in front of the old one. The shape of the building previous to this is shown on the 1841 Tithe map. There is also an additional kitchen wing in-line with the rear range which may be mid C19 rather than part of the main c1900 enlargement. The house retains its c1900 appearance on the main entrance elevation apart from the addition of a late C20 gabled porch, but the north elevation, which is the C16/C17 house, has seen a number of changes in the C20. Little is now visible of the house's ancient origins when viewed externally.

Exterior

The house is rendered and painted throughout and has Welsh slate roofs. Double depth central entrance plan with two parallel ranges, see History. Two storeys throughout, but the floor/ceiling levels of the front and rear ranges are significantly different.
The south (entrance) elevation is three windows wide. Paired windows on the ground floor under elliptical brick heads, 4 over 4 pane sashes on either side of a timber mullion. Central gabled porch with a similar paired sash. Smaller paired windows, 4 over 1 pane under flat heads above, single window over the porch. Roof with slight bell-cast and sprocket eaves, rendered gable stacks. The gable ends are blind. The upper rear wall is built on the top of the front wall of the rear range.
The north (garden) elevation has the C16 section to the right, which can be recognised by being set forward for the mural stair and with a considerable batter to the lower walls. It has a large c1900 window on the ground floor with 8 over 2 panes; on the first floor a 4 over 1 pane window to the stair and a 6 over 6 pane sash in a large C20 gabled dormer. To the right of this is the single storey C19 kitchen extension and to the left the C17 wing which has a door and a window below and a window and another 8 over 8 pane sash above, all features being C19. The roof has slightly different pirches, large hall stack and smaller stacks at either end.
The left gable has c1900 sash windows to both floors. The right gable has a 2-light C16 window with stepped arched heads to the upper room and is otherwise covered by the attached C19 bakehouse and scullery wing. This window is the only feature visible externally from the first build.

Interior

The house is entered through a wide stair-hall which leads through the c1900 range to the early C17 cross-passage which contains the c1900 stair. The rear range has a lower floor level and the c1550 house is to the left. This is entered through a 4-centred arch with hollow chamfer and run-out stops; this is the original house entrance. The hall within contains an altered hearth and a narrower but otherwise similar door leading to a stone mural stair, this is partly within the wall and partly in an outshut. There is a second door with reused mouldings, including a broach stop on the right jamb, forming a 2-centred arch leading into the C19 bakehouse and scullery wing. The roof of the mural stair has the traditional corbelled stone construction. The bakehouse still contains its oven. To the right of the cross-passage is a plain inner room which contains, on the south wall, one embrasured single light window. The mural stair leads to the Great Chamber, now divided into corridor and bedroom. This has a partly original roof truss with the apparent original purlin on the front wall and a replacement on the rear slope. There is a large semi-dormer window of the late C20 but the only original window is still in the gable with two stepped arched lights.
The interior is otherwise plain and of the c1900 build with some late C20 alterations.

Reason for designation

Included as a C16 house which has, remarkably, survived almost intact within a much larger C17 and later house.