83248

 

II  

Designated  

17/11/2004  

17/11/2004  

The Garth Farmhouse  

 

Powys  

Llanidloes Without  

 

Van  

294724  

287024  

 

Located in a low-lying position off the road leading N from Llanidloes to Van, and 0.6km SW of Van.  

 

 

The house is dated 1870 and was owned by Earl Vane, later the Marquis of Londonderry, who was the lessor of the Van lead mines. There was an earlier house on the site, and the rear service block with lower roof-line, probably relates to this. Although associated with the aristocracy, Garth was a farmhouse. The farm buildings are set down to the S and include a stable range dated 1870.  

L-shaped house with entrance front facing E and secondary front facing S towards the farm buildings. To the W is a lower L-shaped range, probably part of the earlier house, remodelled as a service unit. Symmetrical 3-window E front of 2 storeys with attics, rendered under a slate roof; tall end stacks of ashlar sandstone, each face with a blind arch, and with moulded capstones. Open gabled porch on chamfered timber posts, with decorative openwork barge boards, the gable with arched struts, reached by 3 slate steps. Inside the porch is a boarded door with studs and strap hinges, and an overlight. Moulded wooden 3-light windows with transoms and margin glazing; flat heads and slate sills. The attic storey has 3 gabled dormers with plain barge boards containing 2-light casements with margin glazing. Two-window range adjoining S gable end forming a second entrance front. The gable has decorative openwork barge boards, beneath which is a slate tablet with arched head reading 'Rebuilt by Earl Vane 1870'. Beneath and offset to the L is a 12-pane horned sash window with large sill. The 2-window range adjoining to the L has a blue brick end stack. Rendered lean-to porch with slate roof to R, inside which is a decorative boarded door, as front, with overlight. To the L is a 16-pane horned sash window. Aligned above to the 1st floor, are 2 x 12-pane sashes (the sash windows are said to be replacements). Two skylights to roof pitch. The W gable end has a boarded rear door with 3-pane overlight under a gabled porch canopy, offset to the L and leading into the kitchen. The windows to the rear are mainly C20 2-light wooden casements under segmental heads; there is a window above the doorway and a small light to the gable. To the L is a short linking range to the service unit, with a C20 cross-window beneath a 2-light casement. The N gable end of the main range of the house has a 12-pane horned sash to the far R of the upper storey. Narrow gabled bay to its R with openwork barge boards, perhaps connected with staircase, with 2-light casement over 4-pane sash. The service unit, consisting of main range and cross-wing has a slightly lower roof-line. The front faces S, with cross-wing to R where it joins the later block. It is of random stone, the front rendered, under a slate roof. Stone end stack with brick quoins to L end of main range; renewed blue brick stack to N end of cross-wing. The front has a 2-light C20 wooden casement to each storey, both under segmental heads. The rear is advanced beyond the later block, and the openings have segmental brick heads. Doors to gable end of cross-wing and to main range, small light to far R. Iron casement window to 1st floor of gable end and small light to attic.  

Inside the S entrance is a stair-hall with an ornate open-well wooden staircase with turned balusters and decorated tread ends; it is dated 1872. Encaustic tile floors to stair-hall and kitchen to L. Large fireplace in former service room to rear of kitchen, the lintel probably from elsewhere. The main reception room is to the R of the stair-hall, in the S end of the main range, and has panelled doors and shutters and moulded wooden coving. The wooden fireplace surround was formerly upstairs.  

Listed as a little-altered gentry farmhouse of the later C19, retaining good external and internal detail, and for its historical association with the Van lead mines.