4 Castle Hill

Cadw's description

Location

One of a group of estate buildings clustered below St Fagans Castle.

History

Of uncertain origin, possibly late medieval, but drastically modernised in the 1850s and again in the mid/late C20 probably c1970. C18 to C19 features (now mostly replaced) but with indications of an earlier original structure, possibly contemporary with the C16 castle above. There is a chamfered stone doorway with pointed head of C16 style in eastern ground floor wall of No 4; there is also a reference on p. 351 of 'Archaeologia Cambrensis' for 1869 to the removal in 1850s of windows of 'double pointed lights of the C15' from a 'row of old cottages just beneath the castle'. The rear walls of the original structure remain and now have small rectangular window openings but rear wings with slate roofs were added circa mid to later C19. These cottages were built originally by the Plymouth Estate (St. Fagans Castle) which has probably given them three major refurbishments, in the mid C18, in c1855 and in c1970 and they now have characteristics of all these periods.

Exterior

The wall of No 4 forms a curve on the corner and has a stone kneeler and coping to gable end. The previous list description says that in the rear wall there is a blocked mullioned window; also a window opening at ground level, but these were not seen at resurvey.

Interior

Interior not inspected at resurvey. The previous list description says that within No.4 there is a possibly C16 stone doorway (see History).

Reason for designation

Included as a part of the important group of historic estate buildings at the centre of St. Fagans village.