21162

 

II  

Designated  

17/12/1998  

17/12/1998  

The Old Rectory  

 

Powys  

Talybont-on-Usk  

 

Llansantffraed  

311979  

223912  

SW  

By the main road between Brecon and Abergavenny, NW of Llansantffraed church, on the banks of the River Usk.  

Domestic  

 

Probably late C18, reputedly as a hunting lodge for Buckland estate and damaged by fire, with large wing added S, smaller N added and further remodelling in C19 when it became the Rectory for Llansantffraed church; large dining room/conservatory added 1990s; currently used as a guest house.  

A medium sized country house. Plan of central 3 bay older unit with later single bay cross wings projecting each side, a single storey porch bay spanning the area between the bays at front. Because of the sloping ground the older unit is 3 storeys high to rear, 2 to front. Built of mostly coursed stone rubble, some rockfaced, some snecked, rendered to S, with Welsh slate hipped roofs with overhanging eaves and boarded soffits; narrow long rendered chimneys. Road frontage has central pointed arched porch bay entrance to later glazed lobby; 3 small 4-light canted bay windows under eaves to first floor. Hipped roofed wings to sides each have a 2/2 pane sash window at first floor level. To river frontage the higher right wing has a shallow full height bay with a 2/2 pane sash to first floor and shallow ground floor 5-light cross-framed bay window with pitched roof; bay left has similar sashes to each floor. Stepped back to centre the older range has to top floor a central round arched multipane staircase window, to right a small 4 pane window under the eaves, altered to left; first floor has 2 windows, a 6/6 pane casement to right, all with shallow stone sills; altered openings to ground floor behind the conservatory. Attached to left by a wall with cambered arched doorway is the former coachouse converted to accommodation; extending further N and S across frontage a garden wall.  

Interior retains plan of the older central unit with rooms either side of central staircase but little detail; stepped down to left the former drawing room of the Rectory; ground floor rear kitchen retains a single lightly chamfered cross beam.  

Included for the special historic interest of this prominent and largely C18/C19 house.