Pwll-y-wrach

Cadw's description

Location

About 1000m south east of Colwinston village.

History

A house built apparently in c1770, but the window spacing may suggest a remodelling of an earlier building. The main elevation looks more like c1790, but the Palladian windows in the garden houses (qv) and the reported ''Chinese Chippendale'' staircase both suggest c1770. Samuel Lewis calls it ''a respectable, well-built modern mansion''. The house was then altered and extended in the late C19 when the porch was also added. The conservatory on the west gable was added in the 1990s.

Exterior

The house is probably built of local rubblestone with Roman cement facing, rusticated on the ground floor and smooth above, in deliberate imitation of ashlar; the gable ends are smooth rendered, the rear elevation is roughcast, Welsh slate roofs. Plan of two parallel ranges with a rear wing. Two storeys and attic, nine bay front with central entry to stairhall. The main south elevation has nine windows, 3 : 3 : 3, with the central section pedimented and with the windows set more widely apart, all 6 over 6 pane sashes with rusticated surrounds and voussoir heads. The central porch is Forest of Dean sandstone ashlar with a bell-cast slate roof with dentil cornice and iron cresting, the opening has stone framed sidelights and five square lights over, part glazed panelled door with triple overlight within. The pediment carries a relief plaque with the lamb carrying the Cross. Brick gable stacks with a third central one.
The east gable is plain; the west gable has a late C20 conservatory covering the ground floor, a 2 over 2 pane sash on the first floor in the rear range and a garret window in both ranges.
The rear range also has gable stacks. The rear elevation has 6 over 6 sash windows with keyed surrounds, canted bay at the west end.

Interior

Interior not available at resurvey. RCAHMW had limited access and reported that the front range had an entirely remodelled front hall to date with the porch, with decoration to the main living rooms also of this period. ''In the rear range, the main stair set round a well has a balustrade of slender turned balusters on an open string, three to each tread, and square fluted newel posts. The servants' stair east of this has a 'Chinese Chippendale type of balustrade.' 'The original roof trusses have collar beams and butt-purlins but no ridge pieces.'

Reason for designation

Included as a late C18 house which has retained its character despite being enlarged in the late C19.