22181

 

II  

Designated  

27/08/1999  

27/08/1999  

Awelaur, formerly the Vicarage  

 

Carmarthenshire  

Llanfihangel Aberbythych  

Carmarthen  

Golden Grove Village  

258965  

219577  

W  

At the south-west of Golden Grove village, on a large site about 150m south of the church. Gates to east. Detached coach-house to north east, small detached latrine to north of service wing.  

Domestic  

 

The former vicarage carries the date 1879 on several of the rainwater heads, which is credibly the date of construction. The name of the architect has not been ascertained.  

A fine parsonage of two storeys and an attic with Tudor features. Local grey limestone given a pecked finish, and laid in snecked courses; oolitic limestone dressings; slate roof with decoratively scalloped red ridge tiles and prominent red brick chimneys. The cross-wing to the west and the service wing to the east have hipped roofs with slates neatly butted at the hips. The stonework includes mullion and transom windows, weathered string courses, coped gables on moulded and double-weathered skewstones and finials. The principal range of the building extends north-south, with a twin gable facing to the north, a double-roofed crosswing to the west (including a hidden roof valley) and a small advancing unit to the east, the latter carried up through the eaves to form a bold full-height dormer with coped gable. The entrance is at the south. To the east is a low service wing with hipped roof. Raised garden terrace at the north side. The south elevation is of three-windows, consisting of the gable-end of the main range, incorporating the entrance porch as a left side extension, and the flank of the crosswing. Prominent coped gable to the former with stone finial. Pine entrance doors under a pointed arch with unstopped label mould; bronze bell-pull remains. Mullion and transom windows, that to the first floor of the gable has a label mould with everted ends. The wing has mullion and transom windows above and below, and a small two-light window above the porch. Alterations to this elevation of the crosswing include the removal of a collar from the dormer gable at left, and the removal of a chimney from the angle with the main range. Dated rainwater head with little decorative crenellations. The west elevation to the garden includes two mullion and transom windows to the ground storey of the crosswing, the right one being a canted bay; there are no windows to the first storey. The north elevation has twin coped gables of equal height; narrow valley with opening in stonework to the rainwater head; right eaves higher than left. Mullion or single light windows, first floor windows only have transoms. The north flank of the crosswing is well set back; through-eaves dormer with mullion and transom window. The east elevation is a four-window range with mullion and transom windows; the narrow advancing section left of centre is three-storeyed incorporating a full dormer.  

Encaustic tile paving in coloured pattern to the entrance hall; timber strip flooring elsewhere. Pine joinery generally, including doors, stairs and mantlepieces. Folding shutters to the ground storey main rooms. Fireplace fronts in polished white limestone, in the form of pointed arches in the ground storey and in trabeated form elsewhere. Iron firegrates survive throughout.  

A fine late Victorian parsonage in the patronage of an aristocratic family and in association with their seat; the dominant element in the village of Golden Grove; exceptionally well-detailed essay in the Tudor style favoured for buildings of this type.