87526

 

II  

Designated  

03/05/2007  

03/05/2007  

Old Campston  

 

Monmouthshire  

Grosmont  

 

Campston  

338033  

222692  

 

Remotely sited on the slope of a small valley some 3km as the crow flies SW of Grosmont, approached via the lane that runs NW from Cross Ash. The house and its parallel barn are platformed against the slope.  

 

 

A farmstead of medieval origin with a long but reasonably coherent development sequence. It appears that the house originated as a hall house, perhaps c1500. This was cruck-framed, though perhaps with stone walls from the outset, and comprised a single bay hall with inner room or parlour, and entrance passage. A long-house arrangement with animal accommodation beyond the passage may be surmised, but there is no direct evidence for it. In a second phase (perhaps c1600), the hall was floored over, and a chimney inserted into the former cross-passage with mural stair alongside it. Beyond the former passage, what may once have been animal accommodation was reconstructed (mid-late C17) for domestic use, probably as a parlour with a separate entrance lobby. At some time, too, a small upper bay was added beyond the inner room. More recently, during restoration work in 2004-5 the house has again been extended at the lower end. The house had fallen into disrepair, and external detail has been largely renewed during restoration, though the interior detail survives substantially intact.  

A long low stone built house, down-hill sited. Sandstone rubble walls (extensively reconstructed) with steeply pitched Welsh slate roof (renewed). Axial stone stack. Modern oak mullioned windows with timber lintels in both long elevations, with doorway in porch towards left end of NW elevation, and further doorway towards left of SE elevation.  

Interior retains much of its historic layout and fabric. Plan comprises single bay hall with small inner room or parlour at its upper end (beyond which is a further small bay, presumably added later?), and former cross-passage (occupied by inserted stack) below. These 3 units of the original late-medieval house are divided by cruck trusses (that above inner room now encased in a stone wall). Beyond the former passage, is a large parlour bay, added to the original hall house and probably replacing the byre of a long-house. Hall and original parlour are separated by a fine post-and-panel partition, probably belonging to the open-hall phase, though not primary to it. This partition has chamfered posts to the hall side, and bears traces of probably C16 painting. On the hall side, a series of trumpet or vase-like shapes may be discerned, outlined in black; whilst on the parlour side, are traces of several winged angels, outlined in black but with clear traces of other pigment. Both rooms have heavy stop-chamfered cross-beams and chamfered joists all with run-out stops, dating from the flooring over of the hall in c1600. Fireplace has modern lintel (based on the decayed original) and chimney stairs. At the lower end, the later C17 layout may be traced through the position and decoration of the ceiling beams, which together with many of the joists, are chamfered with ogee stops. It thus appears to have comprised large parlour with smaller entrance lobby to the NW. Upstairs, the two surviving cruck trusses (between hall and inner parlour and hall and former passage bay) are visible: they are of identifiable Monmouthshire type, with substantial saddle, collar and tie-beam. That over parlour partition has spurs connecting to wall plate and a broad fillet of timber to align the roof with the broader passage truss.  

Listed as a late medieval hall-house retaining substantial elements of its original structure intact within a clear development sequence and with a remarkable C16 painted screen of exceptional interest.