Crossways Cottage

Cadw's description

Location

0.75km approx. S of village, between modern A465 and old road from the village at Crossways, on eastern side of modern road. The cottages formerly occupied a triangle of land at a junction of original road S of village to Abergavenny, and a smaller by-way

History

Built as a pair of cottages, probably c1830-40, with the pavilion wing added later in the century. The cottages are shown on the Tithe Map of 1842, when they were owned by the Earl of Abergavenny.

Exterior

Pair of cottages. Sandstone rubble with some slight timber framing, slate roofs. The group comprises one cottage parallel to the road with curious pavilion wing added at its left hand corner, and a second cottage at right-angles to the right. Two-storeyed throughout, the left-hand cottage is a 2-unit plan with gable end stacks, that to right larger and raised in later C19 brickwork; central boarded doorway flanked by small 2-light casement windows with flat-arched stone heads. Smaller windows to first floor have lattice glazing. Lean-to extension to rear. Pavilion wing is square in plan, and has stone-flagged roof; timber-framed with corner posts above stone plinth and slight decorative bracing applied to stone panel between the storeys; rendered panels to either side of windows, which are 3-light lattice-glazed casements in the front elevation; single light to inner return. Left-hand return has paired windows to first floor, unusually divided into three horizontally. Right-hand cottage has single stack on front gable, with doorway to its right. Single window on each floor on inner return. Small lean-to at rear has slight timber framing.

Interior

Left-hand cottage has two-room plan, with additional accommodation in pavillion wing: this has ornately carved corner posts to ground floor, dado panelling to first floor, and boarded roof. Right-hand cottage is a tiny single-room plan and small scullery accommodated in rear lean-to.

Reason for designation

Listed as a pair of cottages retaining good vernacular character - survivals of small rural dwellings. The group is also notable for the remarkable pavilion wing - a striking example of picturesque architecture which forms a most unusual addition to a simple pair of cottages.