An important C17 vernacular house of strong architectural character and unusual plan, retaining original detail both externally and internally. Probably begun c.1630 and completed c.1690. A tall and imposing building of strongly-massed architectural character, with a very large and highly unusual porch-cum-stair-turret and 2 massive stacks each topped with a cluster of 6 diagonal chimneys. It is built of sandstone rubble with roofs partly small stone slate and partly blue slate, and chimney shafts apparently of C19 red brick. The plan centres on a 2-unit, 2?-storey hall-and-parlour range on a NE-SW axis facing SE, the parlour being at the NE end and the porch-stair-turret overlapping the junction, where it rises above the eaves. Continuing to the SW of the hall on the same axis is a 1-unit kitchen range and to the rear of the parlour is a 1-unit wing, both these being of 2 lower storeys; and attached to the rear of the kitchen range is a parallel service range added in the C19. Fox and Raglan suggest that the hall block with its porch wing was built c.1630 "together with one wall of the rest of the L-shaped design", when building ceased abruptly, and that the parlour with its rear wing, and the kitchen, were completed c.1690; but internal evidence suggests a more complicated sequence of building and rebuilding.

The SE facade is dominated by the porch-stair-turret, which has a square-headed outer doorway in the centre with an oak doorcase, one small 2-light wooden mullioned window on each of 3 levels above, all offset to the left and the topmost in the gable; similar windows on 4 levels of the left side (the 3rd of 3 lights), and on 3 levels of the right-hand side (the topmost with 3 lights); and a brick chimney on the gable. Left of the porch the hall has a wooden mullion-and-transom window of 6 lights, with brick voussoirs, the chamber above has a 5-light mullioned window with a wooden lintel, both these with ovolo mullions and diamond leaded glazing; and at the left gable a massive extruded chimney stack breaking through the roof of the lower kitchen range, topped by clustered brick shafts. The kitchen range has a doorway with a gabled wooden canopy and a board door, one small segmental-headed 2-light casement on each floor to the left, and a brick chimney on the gable. Right of the porch there is one window on each of 3 levels, the first 2 being restored cross-windows in openings of late-C17 character, with segmental heads and rubble voussoirs, and the topmost a C19 6-pane fixed window; and at ground-level is a cellar doorway. At the SW gable-end of the kitchen range is a large flight of steps up to a loft doorway. At the rear the hall-range has a doorway at the junction with the rear wing, with a pegged oak doorcase, a restored 3-light window to the right, a 2-light casement above the door (both these with segmental brick heads) and a square window to the attic with modern glazing. To the left is the wing to the rear of the parlour, which has a doorway in the angle and a restored cross-window on each floor to the left; while its NW gable wall has a 4-light wooden mullion window at ground floor and a small 2-light attic window in the gable. At the junction of the wing with the main range another massive chimney stack breaks through the roof, with diagonal shafts like those on the other one. Overlapping and breaking forwards at the SW corner is the C19 service range, which has 2 windows on each floor (2 and 1 lights at ground floor, 2 and 2 above).

(Source: Cadw Listings database) S Garfi 27/10/06