The ruin of Old Plas stands on the edge of Llantwit Major on a small hillock, giving the house a prominent position overlooking the town. The current house is an extensive reworking of several earlier phases that saw it develop over a one hundred year period from a large, but modest dwelling, into a large house of the lesser gentry. The earliest phase of house is considered to have been in existence by the 1530's when John Leland travelled Wales to produce his itinerary (RCAHMW 1984: 182) for Henry VIII and is possibly late 15th, but more likely early 16th century in origin. At the time of Leland's Itinerary Edmund Van (Avan) (Smith 1964: v.3) was stated as being in residence within Llantwit and may have been responsible for the early development of Old Plas, possibly enlarging the hall, inserting a first floor above the hall whilst raising the existing floor level of the Solar and adding a service wing to the rear by the mid 16th century. Later in the same century the house is known to have passed to George Van (RCAHMW 1984: 182), grandson of Edmund, but it is not known whether George made any alterations. Upon George Van's move to the family seat at Marcross, Edmund Van, his son, is living at Old Plas and through a marriage dowry from Griffith Williams is known to have greatly altered the house c. 1598 (Stone 1996), which is described as `a very sumptuous newe house? (Stradling in Rees 1932: 77). However, Stradling also notes the poor build quality and speed of the alterations, which is reflected in the masonry. Edmund's additions include the two large wings, a stairwell and raised wall heights to create a second floor to house a long gallery. The late 16th century reworking not only created a grander house, but also greatly reflects the fashion of the Elizabethan period by creating an e-plan house that incorporates a long gallery. Spencer in her work Annals of South Glamorgan (1913) writes on Boverton Place, noting the `solid oak treads of the beautiful old central staircase, resembling very much that of the Old Plas, Llantwit...?, though it is not clear from where this information has been drawn. Both wings include large chimney stacks, whilst the lateral stack to the rear of the hall was raised, a sign of status, which is reflected in Hearth Tax records of 1670 where John Avan, in residence by 1645, was taxed for seven hearths (Stone 1996). It may have been John who added ancillary buildings to both wings and the courtyard walls, but no records survive to substantiate this. Records of the house are vague from this point and it is only known that Dorothy Avan is resident after 1670 (Stone 1970) and by 1729, when Emanuel Bowen produced a map of `Gentlemen's Seats? and `Houses of Less Note and Farm Houses?, Old Plas is not shown, suggesting that the house is unoccupied by this time. It has been suggested, through the study of old estate maps, that William Vann sold Old Plas to the Nicholl family of The Ham (Stone 1996), where it is believed the ornamental stone window and door jambs were taken. For almost three hundred years the house remained uninhabited and decaying. In 2011 Anton Jones, a local stonemason, bought Old Plas from the council and by 2012 a restoration project had started with funding from Cadw and Pride in Our Heritage. The restoration project aims to make the oldest part of the house habitable and to secure the decaying walls of the rest of the property.

Bowen, E. 1729. Map of South Wales: The Uplands and the Vale of Glamorgan
RCAHMW, 1984. Inventory of Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan, Vol. IV Part I: The Greater Houses
Rees, W. 1932. The Storie of the Lower Burrows by John Stradling, in ed. South Wales and Monmouth Record Society Publications, Vol. 3
Smith, L. T. 1964. Leland's Itinerary in England and Wales, Vol. 3
Stone, R. 1996. The Old Place: A Report on Historical and Archaeological Research

Ross Cook, RCAHMW. February 2013