Ystwyth Villa

Cadw's description

Location

Situated next to Hafod House facing over the bridge in Pontrhydygroes.

History

With Hafod House, one of a semi-detached pair of Hafod estate houses in mid C19 picturesque style. Present on 1843 Tithe map but coloured in black as opposed to most other structures which are just outlined. Possibly a late insertion. The Hafod estate was owned by the 4th Duke of Newcastle from 1833-45, and these may be part of his improvements. Hafod House is said to have been the Bear Inn at one time.

Exterior

Left house of semi-detached pair with Hafod House. Rubble stone with cut grey stone dressings and deep-eaved slate roofs. Two storeys, four-window range overall. The pair are mirrored each with advanced outer gabled crosswing and one-window range with gabled oriel in inner bay. Three large cut-stone chimneys with conjoined square shafts on main ridge, a 4-shaft chimney at centre between houses and a 2-shaft stack on each house at the joint of crosswing and main ridge, axial to main ridge.
Crosswing has quoins, plain bargeboards and triple casement window each floor, with grey stone quoins and voussoirs. Inner bay has a similar casement-pair under a slightly projected oriel with casement pair under small eaves-breaking timber gable with matching bargeboards and lozenge-and-triangle pattern in raised strips in gable.
Crosswing sides are relatively short, two-bay with large gabled porch in rearmost bay, the door in side, facing the road and a casement-pair both to porch end wall and the ground floor window adjoining porch. The upper windows were blank. Similar grey stone quoins and frames to window and door on porch. All windows have slate sills.
On Ystwyth Villa the casements of the S front have been renewed in timber. Crosswing W side is rendered with uPVC windows to both floors on right, and to porch W end. C20 porch door. Rubble rear N wall with one first floor window and blocked window below.
Rear left has long rear wing built in two phases, first a 2-storey lean-to with door (now fixed window) and casement pair in W wall (small C20 window above) then a two-storey, two-window range continues N with N end stack, casement pair windows to W, two under eaves, ground floor left window and door to right both with stone voussoirs. Tall cut stone chimney behind (on E side), on centre axis between two houses.

Interior

Not available for inspection.

Reason for designation

Included as part of a pair of boldly designed estate houses in early Victorian picturesque style.