11707

 

II*  

Designated  

11/05/1995  

28/11/2003  

Llanfair-fach House  

 

Cardiff  

St. Fagans  

Cardiff  

Capel Llaniltern  

309835  

179242  

 

To the east of the minor road from Capel Llaniltern to St Bride’s Super Ely, approximately 500m south of M4 motorway.  

Domestic  

 

An early C17 2-room cross-passage house with a projecting porch. It may originally have had a detached bakehouse, for a kitchen was added in the centre of the rear elevation accessed from the cross-passage probably in the late C17 and this kitchen wing has a lean-to scullery in the angle. The wing also acts as a stair turret for the main stair, added to replace the firestair in the original house. The house was upgraded to semi-gentry status at this time. A small double-fronted cottage was added to the left hand end of the main elevation around 1800. The previous list description suggests that the wing was converted to a cottage in the C19, but this seeems unlikely as it abuts the gable end of the main house and there is no connection betweeen the two. The property has undergone a major repair programme in the 1990s including complete re-roofing which has had the effect of making it all look much more of one build.  

Stone rubble with some freestone dressings, all plastered and limewashed, Welsh slate roof, stone chimneys. Two storeys and attic house with the added house and kitchen wing being two storeys only. The entrance elevation faces south. Large square chimney to right, and towards centre. Two storeyed gabled porch with, to first floor, 2-light stone mullioned window, ovolo mould with wide central fillet, under hoodmould; on ground floor, Tudor-arched entrance with voussoirs; beneath porch, main entrance doorway has square head, ovolo moulded wooden frame; C17 door with ovolo-moulded styles, and long strap hinges; diaper stone tiles to porch floor. To right of porch, the first floor has a 2-light stone mullioned window under hoodmould; on ground floor, 3-light mullioned window (replacing C19 sash window) under broad hoodmould; small stair window to right. To left of porch, gabled dormer with first floor 2-light stone mullioned window under hoodmould; on ground floor, 3-light mullioned window (replacing C19 sash window), relieving arch over. Right hand gable has projection housing stair and chimney, once blocked first floor window to light stair head, now a modern casement. To rear, at right angles, kitchen extension; gable chimney, outshut (to east) has small ovolo moulded window in north wall. Catslide roof to pantry. To left end of the main elevation a small additional cottage also two storeys. Central plank door flanked by casement windows with two smaller ones above and two small roof lights. All features are of the 1990s. Plain roof with the stack added to the existing house stack to right. Rear elevation has another plank door and a small casement on the ground floor as before; the upper floor is blind apart from a small rooflight. Stone outbuilding to north has re-used medieval pointed arch (not seen at resurvey) which possibly indicates a medieval house previously existed on the site.  

The interior was not available at resurvey, but is fully reported by RCAHMW and was inspected in 1995. The porch enters the cross-passage which has a partition with central doorway to hall; ceiling plastered, and beams boxed-in (this may have changed, condition at listing 1995); diaper stone tiles to floor; parlour with arched doorway to former stair (now cupboard); exposed beams, west beam having curved filleted stops. Rear wing said to have wooden stair, and has roughly chamfered beams and square joists; separate pantry. Some heavy roof trusses visible through gaps in slates. West wing is said to have been converted to a separate dwelling in the C19 (but see History) with two rooms to each floor (west end now open to roof); cobbled floor, fireplace, stone stairs to east wall.  

Included and highly graded as an important gentry house with much surviving detail.