16323

3  

II  

Designated  

31/07/1995  

31/07/1995  

Blacksmith's Cottages  

3 Smith's Row, A48  

Vale of Glamorgan  

St. Nicholas and Bonvilston  

 

St Nicolas  

308980  

174267  

N  

Centrally located on the N side of the A48 opposite the Forge and Church Hall.  

Domestic  

 

Terrace of three thatched cottages. Seven bays of three phases of construction. The eastern-most unit dating from the first half of the C17. C18 and C19 alterations.  

Two stories with elevations of limewashed rubble beneath a longstraw thatched roof with "eyebrows" over the first floor windows. Front elevation has seven 2-light C19 timber casement windows to first floor with six 2-light casement windows of various styles to ground floor. Four brick C20 stacks, three axial, the western-most is gabled. Seven buttresses to front elevation, three at eastern end of rubble construction, whilst the remainder are of modern concrete. Rear elevation has three C19 lean-to scullery outshuts with slated roofs and timber casements. The eastern gable has a blocked early C17 single light window with ferramenta at first floor level with sunk chamfered jambs and a hollow chamfered head beneath a fragmentary hoodmould.  

The eastern most cottage (No 5) is of early C17 date, comprising a two cell, lobby entry plan with substantial back-to-back fires retaining timber lintels. Cross-corner stone stair without outshut remains to the northern side of the fire. The eastern hall cell was formerly lit by a three-light window on the south elevation, beneath a relieving arch. The ceiling over the hall cell is carried upon lateral quarter-round moulded beams with thirteen complexly reed moulded joists in each bay. The western cell has a joist beam ceiling and modern straight flight staircase. The central cottage (No 4) appears to consist of an earlier single storey workshop, (possibly contemporary with the eastern cottage) raised to full two storey height probably in the late C18 or early C19 (?). The western cottage dating from Circa 1700 is of two cells with central axial and gable stack at the western end, of hearth passage form with hall and outer room. The passage lying to the west of the axial stack. Gable entry timber spiral stair is located on the northern side of the axial stack.  

Listed as a picturesque example of Vale of Glamorgan vernacular, illustrating organic development from the early C17 and early C18 and retaining good internal features.