Gronant

Gronant is a large multi-phase two-storey farmhouse comprising two once-separate dwellings connected at a later date. The original house stands to the north, with a later house to the south, linked by a two-window range. Added to the left of the north gable is a narrower two-storey, single-window annexe, with a one-storey dairy wing extending from the north gable. The later southern house has a lofted stable attached to its east gable, and a two-storey former gig-house with servant's loft on its north side, forming an open courtyard.

The original northern house is a two-storey range of three to four windows, built of uncoarsed rubble with timber lintels. It has a tall diagonally-set chimney offset to the right of the cross-passage, and a modern pitched slate roof with tiled ridge and fascia board. A later rubble stone chimney with capping marks the left gable end, and a similar chimney stands to the right, marking the original south gable. The west entrance is set in a modern heavy oak frame with a shallow pointed arch. The door comprises three boards with vertical beading over the joints and three small diamond windows to the upper part, fitted with iron strap-hinges across top and bottom. To the left of the door are modern timber four-pane lights with cruciform pattern at ground and first floor levels. A small horizontal two-pane timber window sits above the door. To the right, beyond the internal chimney breast, are two regularly-set twelve-pane sash windows on each floor. The opposed east door of the main house is also set in an oak frame, glazed with stout glazing bars and nine panes (modern). Tall two-pane windows with small square leaded panes stand to the right of the door on both floors; to the left of the door on the first floor is a mullioned three-light stained glass window (both modern). Paired twelve-pane sash windows occupy the ground floor at the left end, with a tall two-pane window featuring small square leaded panes above. A blind window marks the north gable wall. A lower single-bay two-storey addition stands to the north, beyond which is the former dairy with rubble walls and an asymmetrically pitched slate roof, with the east pitch now glazed. A red chimney pot crowns the north pitch. The west side has a stable door and the east side a half-glazed door. Windows comprise a mixture of two and four-pane fixed lights and sashes. On the west side stands a circular horse engine platform with drystone revetting, the horse works machinery intact in the centre.

The two-storey connecting range is built of coursed rubble with a slate roof hipped at the angle. Its west elevation displays a two-window range with twenty-pane sash windows; the south elevation has a horizontal reset stained glass window with square and diamond pattern at ground floor level, with a small modern window to the right, and a narrow six-pane sash window to the first floor with the upper two-pane light descending. The east elevation has a small four-pane sash window, with a pitched-roof bell-tower rising from the wall above.

The southern house is a two-storey, three-window range with a modern flat-roof porch to its south side. The door is offset to the right. Rubble walls with battered foundations occupy the right side. Rendered gable-end chimneys, the one to the right larger than the left, mark the gables. A large modern small-paned window to the ground floor was enlarged from its original proportions. Three four-pane horned sash windows occupy the first floor, all offset to the left. A narrow eight-pane window stands to the right of the door. The north elevation is a four-window range with a glazed door offset to the left. Ground floor windows to the right of the door are twelve-pane hornless sashes; the other windows are four-pane horned sashes. Attached to the east gable end with a lower ridge line is a lofted stable. A ground floor ventilator window marks the east gable, with a pitching door to the loft above, now fitted with a six-pane casement window. A door accesses the north elevation, while the south elevation is blind. The rear wing attached to the north side of the southern house is a two-window range, formerly a gig-house with servant's quarters above. A gable-end chimney with dripcourse marks this section. Its east elevation has a modern boarded door to the left and a four-pane horned sash to the right, with a four-pane sash above the door and a five-pane sash to the right (three small panes over two tall panes). The north gable wall has a blocked wide door with a cambered stone arch built with rubble stone voussoirs.

Internally, the original house follows a hearth-passage plan, with the passage, hall, and outer room all surviving. The outer room to the north is separated from the passage by a partly destroyed post-and-panel partition, which includes a Tudor-arched doorway. The hall contains a large and deep inglenook fireplace, finely moulded ceiling beams, and moulded wooden lintels. The first floor is accessed via a modern staircase. On the east face of the landing-level chimney is a fragment of wall painting consisting of vertical stripes in yellow and red, with a pattern of foliage above in washed-out grey-black on white. A second wall painting appears on the south wall. These paintings are probably contemporary with the original build of the house. The parlour has moulded lintels and a nineteenth-century recessed cupboard. The roof trusses are collared trusses with raking struts.