21781

 

II  

Designated  

03/03/1999  

03/03/1999  

The Old Vicarage  

 

Vale of Glamorgan  

St. Bride's Major  

 

St Brides Major  

289447  

174560  

 

Located on the S side of the main road which links St. Brides Major with Pitcot, to the W of the junction with the road which leads to Southerndown. The rear garden has a ha-ha.  

Domestic  

 

Dated 1848. Said to be by John Pritchard, and purpose-built as a vicarage. The attics were school rooms, and this use was resumed in WWII. A lower range to the W was a cart shed and stables, the former now used as a tack room.  

Main range of 2 storeys and an attic, of rubble stone with quoins under a half-hipped asymmetrical slate roof. Lower wing to W also with half-hipped roof. Two masonry ridge stacks and a lateral stack. The entrance front faces N with a cross gable L of centre and a second bay to R with hipped roof, both are advanced beyond the N elevation which has lower eaves than the S. The windows all have iron glazing in a lozenge and elongated hexagon design under almost flat stone arches of voussoirs. The front entrance is under a gabled porch with decorated barge boards, on the R side of the cross gable. Panelled and studded door under a Tudor arch. To the L is a 2-light casement window. The 1st floor has a cross window whilst there is a lancet in the gable apex. The gable has cusped barge boards. In the NW angle of the cross gable and main range is a slight projection for the stairs with stairlight. To its R is a similar 1-light window with transom. The advanced bay to the R of the wall has a single light offset to the L, whilst a long single storey range abuts its R side and runs N. The upper storey has a 2-light window. The long single storey range running N has a yellow brick stack and a window with bars to the N gable end. Its W side has 2 boarded doors and a 2-light casement window L of the R door, all under segmental heads with voussoirs. The W end of the main range has a 4-light attic window with iron glazing as elsewhere. At ground level, in the angle with the lower range, is a lean to porch with door to the L and 4-light window with diamond quarries to R. The lower range is 2-bay, the R bay set forward and containing a cross window with iron glazing. The L bay has a planked door to the L and single light to R with same iron glazing, both set within a wide blocked Tudor arch. The W gable end of this range has a door offset to the L and a boarded door to the 1st storey, with hoist beam above, flanked by ventilation slits. The E end of the house has a buttress to the R with stack rising behind, while the outshut section beyond is slightly set back. The wall contains original fenestration all under almost flat arches of voussoirs. To the ground floor are French doors with large panes and overlight, to the 1st floor a 3-light window, and to the attic a 2-light window with iron glazing as elsewhere. The outshut section has a cross-window to the ground floor and a 2-light window above. The rear of the house is 3-window. There is an advanced cross gable R of centre, whilst the L bay is set forward. Window heads as front, containing PVCu windows, some in original openings. Inserted French Doors in centre. The lower wing has a C20 door and window to the R, and a C20 attic window in a gabled half dormer.  

The front door leads into a large square hall with flagstone floor. Dog leg staircase to E side, not in original position. To the rear of the hall, a passage runs the length of the house, with the rear door at the W end. Main reception rooms to rear. Service staircase at W end. The attic was used as school rooms. The room to the W with the large W window was the teacher's office. Long school room to E. This has some original shelving for books and some coat pegs, though the earliest pegs are now downstairs. The lower range to the W has stables to the R, 2 stalls separated by a boarded partition.  

Listed as a good example of an early Victorian purpose-built vicarage with mostly well preserved detail. The attic school room is of additional interest.