25737

 

II  

Designated  

28/08/2001  

28/08/2001  

The Gables  

 

Caerphilly  

Abercarn  

 

Abercarn  

321609  

194769  

N  

Near the centre of Abercarn, set on a wooded terrace high above Commercial Road and reached by a drive off Rhyswg Road.  

Domestic  

 

Believed to have been built for the owner of Prince of Wales Colliery. One of 4 similar mine-owner/manager's houses in the area, the others being at Ebbw Vale, Newbridge and Crosskeys, the Pontywaun Garden Suburb at the latter also being in similar style and begun c 1918. Originally the whole of the roughly triangular site between Commercial Road, Rhyswg Road and the large quarry above Nant Gwyddon belonged to the property but this has been partly redeveloped although signs of former garden buildings and terraces are still visible. The area still belonging to The Gables has a flat terrace formerly used as a tennis court and a paved area and wall against which formerly stood a glasshouse with boilerhouse beneath.  

Large detached house. House is approached from rear and stands on a platform overlooking the valley with garden sloping away in front. Unusually heavy roughcast, with decorative tiling hanging, applied pegged half-timbering, patterned brickwork, with tiled roof, overhanging swept sprocketed eaves with some cement or concrete kneelers and coping; rendered stacks with brick bands and some original cowled pots . Windows were originally leaded quarried casements with tiled sills; some of the replacements are without leading. Garden frontage has 2 gables; the left advanced, with gable apex supported by brackets and decorated with wany-edged timbering; this overhangs a 2-storey canted bay decorated between the storeys with herringbone brickwork panels edged by timbers. Bay has 5 lights to each floor, and at first floor a similar flanking light on each side. To right the gabled is tile hung with 4-light first floor window; below is the main doorway, with Tudor-arched door, part glazed and bell; windows to right either side of the stack, now reduced, and 3-light window to living room end right. The right side elevation ground floor has a flat roofed canted ground floor bay, with chunky battered buttresses at corners reaching to the moulded string course delineating the storeys. To left of frontage a wall extends to enclose a small kitchen yard with Gothic arched gateway. Rear elevation has to left a gable with swept eaves, two 4-light windows with segmental-arched heads, 5-light to ground floor; in centre the eaves with boarded soffit are swept out over two windows directly beneath; 5-light kitchen window below. Adjacent and attached by cables is a hipped-roofed outhouse with overhanging sprocketed eaves and chimney, boarded doors - the former laundry, possibly also used for servant accommodation.  

Front door from garden frontage leads to asymmetrical hall; double vertically panelled doors with decorative glazed upper panels, staircase with splat balusters. Many features from the original fitting remain in spite of some alterations; dark stained exposed ceiling joists, bracketed plate rack, dado rail, wired lights, bells and switches. The front living room formerly had a blue and white tiled grate; dining room and living room have original round-arched brick fireplaces with deep decorative voussoirs; dining room has original Arts and Crafts style cupboards either side. Side living room to end has the deep inglenook fireplace which is a feature of all these houses, here incorporating settles, small windows with garden views, cupboards, bookshelf and pipe-rack. Kitchen has a scullery, formerly with slabs, retaining hooks and pantry.  

Listed as an important C20 mine-owner's house, one of four similar in the area and in the same style as Pontywaun Garden Village.