Stone House

Location

Elevated position 800m SE of Gladestry. The first Radnorshire property to be acquired by James Watt. He purchased it in 1798 from Thomas Harley of Berrington Hall.

Exterior

Mid C18. Two storey hipped main range with tall attic storey. Contemporary kitchen wing to rear is gabled with catslide roof. A later (C19) service range housing a large dairy adjoins and has a lower gabled roof line. Rubble stone in neat coursed blocks with ashlar quoins to front elevations, platt band and plinth. Flat voussoir window lintels with keyblocks. Seven windows, flush-set (C19?) 12-pane sashes with slender glazing bars and moulded frame. Hall lights and corresponding windows above are narrower eight-pane sashes. Central split door with six raised and fielded panels, moulded frame, slate gabled canopy over large curved consoles. Three roof dormers with hipped roofs. Slate roof, distinctive tall stone chimney stacks with moulded caps, three at gable ends, a fourth serving what appears to be a later service wing. Some modern window replacement to rear elevations.

Interior

Fine period interior with largely original plan. Two parlours flank a large stair hall, parlour to right is smaller to allow for dairy set behind it. Dado panelling, panelled shutters and window reveals of different dates, some two-panel raised and fielded doors, some four-panel doors with ogee architraving, H/L hinges. Two original fire surrounds with moulded cornices, bedroom fireplace with early cast iron grate. Good quality stair of two flights with deep moulded ramped handrail, slender turned balusters, open string with carved tread ends an moulded nosings, turned, fluted newel with squared cap, raised and fielded panelling to underside. Original kitchen has (blocked) open fireplace with voussoir lintel and keyblock and chamfered beams.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* as a well-preserved mid-Georgian house with good internal detailing and because of the historical connection with James Watt, engineer and inventor.