A 16th century three-storey stone house, with many original features including two storey attics, gables, porch, stone mullion windows, stone door-frames and square stone chimney stacks. There were significant early 17th century alterations and additions.
On the east side are upstanding earthworks, largely obscured by recent development, which may originally have been garden features. Now maintain as a visitor attraction.
(sources: RCAHMW 1981, 115-26; Os495card; ST19NW7)
Associated with: Bee Bole (Nprn24475).

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 27th April 2009

[Additional:] An earlier/mid-C16th great house with first-floor hall. See RCAHMW's Glamorgan Inventory volume on The Greater House (1988) for a detailed description. The defensive qualities of the plan with its numerous stairscases and occasional draw-bars have been considered by Jeremy Lowe in Ancient Monuments Society Transactions (1991). Llancaiach-fawr was restored by Rhymney Valley D.C., and opened to the public in 1991. A Time Team prgramme (screened 2011) investigated a supposed moat (rejected) and related landscape features, and announced a provision tree-ring date range of 15[]-[] for the house (Nayling unpublished). Examination of the upper levels of the masonry during the present programme of restoration 2013/14 has revealed masonry breaks between the principal ranges. Differences in detail between the ranges (e.g. in the finish of the trusses) must also be noted. Nevertheless, the overall plan is coherent and it is likely that these variations relate to a phased building programme rather than extensions to an earlier core phase. Information from Diane Walker (Llancaiach-fawr) & Mike Willimas (Taliesin Conservation). R.F. Suggett/RCAHMW/April 2014.