24311

 

II*  

Designated  

27/10/2000  

27/10/2000  

Maerdy Farmhouse  

 

Monmouthshire  

Whitecastle  

Monmouth  

Llanvihangel-ystern-llewern  

343533  

215011  

 

Approximately 4km E of Llantilio Crossenny village, on the NW side of the minor road which leads from Onen to Newcastle.  

 

 

Late C17 two-unit Renaissance farmhouse, extended in early C18 when a brick wing was added at right angles, to create the present large L-plan farmhouse. The Maerdy is an early example of the use of brick, rather than traditional stone, as a local construction material. In the late C17 and C18 the farm belonged to the Hughes family. Llanvihangel-ystern-llewern church has a wall monument to John Hughes of the ‘Mardee' (died 1792). Anne Hughes widow of John Hughes subsequently married John Powell, brother of Anthony Powell of Great Killough (Cil-llwch) who lived here until his death in 1828. In about 1840 the house was bought by J.E.W. Rolls of the nearby Hendre estate.  

Substantial late C17/early C18 farmhouse. Brick with steeply pitched slate roof, and composition tile roof to rear of wing. Brick chimneystacks: SE gable stack has broad base and recessed brick flue; adjoining wing has small brick lateral stack and end-stack. S front faces the farmyard; two-and-a-half storey range with the late C17 house at right angles to right and the early C18 wing facing. Late C17 house (right) has English bond brickwork with a plain string course running above window lintel on ground floor. Attic storey has small gabled dormer with 3+3 pane casement windows and boarded head. First floor has segmental arched window with 3+3+3 pane casement. On ground floor (in angle between house and wing) is an open wooden porch with hipped slate roof supported at angle by slender timber post, and diagonal wooden cross-struts to open side panels. To right of entrance doorway is a C18 2-light mullion and transom window with flat arch and skewback lintel. SE gable of house has string course at eaves level, two blocked segmental arched window openings on first floor. On ground floor is a single-storey brick lean-to scullery with slate roof. Scullery has big off-centre lateral chimneystack with square base, slate offsets and tall, rendered brick flue. To left of stack is a small square 2-pane window; a projecing chimneystack with square base; to right, a boarded door with small-pane window. Early C18 wing (left) has Flemish bond brickwork and is irregular. Attic has two gabled dormers, with 3+3 pane windows as described. On first-floor are three 2-light mullion and transom windows with segmental arched heads and shallow stone sills, with similar corresponding windows on the ground floor. NE elevation of original range, first floor, has segmental arched window with 4+4+4 panes. Corresponding window on ground floor is enclosed by partly collapsed pentice. To right is projecting stone gable of lofted cider house. On ground floor (left) is a doorway with timber lintel and then 6+6 pane casement to lean-to. West elevationgable-end of original house has string courses and segmentally headed windows as before; rear wall of wing has similar windows, two to first floor and one on ground floor.  

Entry into lobby of late C17 house. Two unit plan with centre staircase separating two ground floor rooms. Stone flagged kitchen (right) has chamfered ceiling beams, C17 mullion window with ogee moulding, and fireplace with side cupboard and panelled wooden overmantel. Very fine late C17 dog-leg stair with winders has closed string and pierced splat balusters; square angle-beaded newel post has attached half balusters and ball finial. C18 wing has windows with splayed reveals, and folding shutters with fielded panels. The parlour, on ground floor of C18 wing, is reached by short corridor with two smaller rooms opening off to right. Doors also have fielded panels; 4-panel door to parlour and 2-panel doors to side rooms. Parlour has chamfered ceiling beam, and dado rail. On each side of fireplace are tall C18 walk-in cupboards which have wooden cornices, fielded panels and 2-panel doors. On first floor of C18 wing, bedroom over parlour has similar fireplace cupboards. In C17 house, bedroom over kitchen has a good C17 creased door and C19 cast-iron grate. Large habitable attic with collar trusses and two tiers of trenched purlins.  

Listed as a fine late C17 farmhouse, extended in early C18 to form a fine Renaissance house, an early essay in the use of brick in the region. The house retains exceptionally good interior detail, and forms the centrepiece of a good farmstead group.