Llwynhelig House

Cadw's description

Location

At the south end of the community and immediately to the north of the A48 Cowbridge by-pass.

History

A probably C17 house in origin, but very completely rebuilt and enlarged in the early to mid C19 so as to give an external appearance only of that date, although the window spacing does give a clue to the two builds. It is shown in the present outline on the tithe map of 1839. The house has not been altered externally since the mid C19 except for the addition of a porch in c2000 which re-established a previously recorded feature of similar design.

Exterior

Built presumably of local limestone rubble, but wholly rendered and painted with a Welsh slate roof hipped overall. A late Regency style two storey villa with a long range facing south and another shorter one at right angles at the east end. The south elevation has four windows, 6 over 6 pane sashes with architrave surrounds, with the entrance in the third bay, which has double doors with a rectangular light over and reeded surround with a plain four pier porch of square based tapering Tuscan piers. The spacing between the windows of the first and second bays is much wider than the others and denotes the C17 core of the building. Shaped timber brackets support the projecting eaves. Stack on left gable, on the ridge between the first and second bays and another on the rear wing to the right. The east elevation is of five windows with a projecting canted bay in the centre. The left-hand ground floor window is an 8 over 8 pane sash, which may be an alteration, all the others are 6 over 6 pane sashes except for french casements on the ground floor of the canted bay. The rear elevation is plain and largely featureless as it is cut into a steep bank.

Interior

Rooms of plain mid C19 and C20 type apart from the former kitchen which retains some indication of its C17 origin with an oak lintelled fireplace, and this has a C19 bread oven beside it. Only the ground floor was seen at resurvey.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well preserved Regency house retaining some C17 fabric.