13937

 

II*  

Designated  

10/06/1977  

30/11/2001  

New House Hotel  

 

Cardiff  

Rhiwbina  

Cardiff  

Thornhill  

316000  

184133  

W  

On the lower slopes of Caerphilly Mountain in countryside overlooking Cardiff and beyond the Bristol Channel, reached by a drive.  

Domestic  

 

New House is the successor to a former house nearby which burned down in C18. Present building built c1795 by Thomas Lewis of Cardiff, the Lewis family having been one of the founding families of the Dowlais ironworks and landowners in Glamorgan, this land passing into their hands on the marriage of Thomas Lewis with Elizabeth Morgan of Rhiwbina; it then passed to the Wyndham Lewis branch of the family and in late C19 to the Murray Thrieplands before being converted to a hotel. Adjacent accommodation wing built on site of former stables in 1991 in Classical style. In recent times clay tiles have replaced some original Bathstone coping.  

Medium-sized country house in Classical style, converted to a hotel. Two storey house with scored stone-coloured render with painted stone dressings, stone plinth. Welsh slate roofs of shallow pitch and narrow rendered stacks. Symmetrical design of central unit comprising two canted 2-storey bays flanking narrow entrance bay, and 2 set-back side wings each with a 2-window range, plus a set-back wing to right. Windows are mostly large 12-pane sashes with moulded architraves. The centre wing of 3 bays has a separate shallow Mansard roof, a deep cornice with parapet; first floor windows are surmounted by separate panels, rectangular on side walls and pediments to front, with balustraded or rectangular panels separating the storeys. At centre a flight of nosed steps leads up to doorway with stuccoed Ionic pilasters and entablature, six-panelled wooden door and a rectangular overlight with rectangular tracery; above is a narrow sash window with separate pediment over. Side wings have wooden modillion cornice, 2 first floor sashes with architraves and heads at cornice level; larger ground floor sashes each with individual cornice on console above. At end right, the set back wing, now fronted by a glazed conservatory, has a 3 window range of sashes with architraves, one round arched, and an end bay projecting to frontage line with long staircase window with separate pediment.  

A small central hallway has been created by subdividing original large hall which has 'black and white' polished stone floor. Rooms retain some panelled shutters and reveals, fluted architraves, moulded cornices and ceiling roses, 6-panelled doors. Room to right has bolection moulded marbled surround to brass and iron fireplace with arched recess to side. To rear is a panelled arch to stairs which have open string, moulded treads and stick balusters; rear staircase window with intersecting tracery, patterned leading and moulded surround with angle blocks with flower motif, folding shutters; drawing room to right now dining room has white marble fireplace and billet cornice.  

Listed as an interesting late C18 country house retaining much of its original appearance.