Nanteos

Nanteos

Nanteos is a three-storey mansion with basement, built in 1739 in the English Palladian style. The main house is constructed of coursed squared local stone with sandstone dressings, and with facing to the centre bay. An early 19th-century columned porch in Grinshill sandstone was added, with three bays faced in yellower rusticated stone. The building has flat or very low roofs (altered in 1958) behind parapets with urns. Features include an ashlar modillion cornice, a band over the ground floor, and a plinth. Rusticated raised quoins mark the outer angles, and large brick chimneys of early 18th-century type have arched panels.

South (Front) Elevation

The symmetrical front elevation dates from 1739, as evidenced by a barely legible datestone, and has a raised ashlar plinth. It comprises a seven-window range with broad two-bay outer sections and a narrower three-bay centrepiece. The elevation features an ashlar modillion cornice and parapet with urn finials on ashlar piers at the outer angles, and four urns to the centre parapet, which has ashlar blind balustrading between piers. The centre three-bay section has deeply rusticated 19th-century ashlar within the portico, and smooth ashlar above, possibly sandstone. The upper storey has blank roundels with thin moulded surrounds. The first floor has three tall arched lights separated by broad piers with plain bases and thin moulded capitals at arch impost level, and the arches have thin moulded heads. Mid-19th-century sashes have iron glazing bars and radiating bars to the heads. The ground floor has two sandstone steps and an 1848 portico with four columns, pilaster responds, and a full entablature with triglyph frieze and cornice. A flat blocking course sits over the portico. The columns are Tuscan with moulded bases and capitals, matched by four pilaster responds. Two arched sashes have iron glazing bars and radiating bars to heads, and the centre has an arched-headed door with an iron radial-bar fanlight over a plain overlight. The door is half-glazed 19th-century timber. The large two-window sections on each side have an ashlar band above the ground floor and square-headed windows in rusticated ashlar surrounds. Ground floor windows are 18-pane lights with voussoirs and keystones. First floor windows have large scrolled pediments like those on the west side, framing triple keystones, and bracketed sills. The window pediments may be reused. The top floor has square six-pane fixed lights with rusticated surrounds and triple keystones. The roof parapet is in local stone with ashlar to the coping, angle piers, and urn finials.

To the right is a lower east wing added by W. R. Coultart in 1841, a two-storey two-window range in coursed squared local stone with ashlar dressings. It features raised quoins to the south-east corner, flat-headed windows in rusticated surrounds with voussoirs and keystones, a band between floors, and a moulded cornice under a parapet with two sections of blind balustrading. Eighteen-pane sashes are fitted to the ground floor and 15-pane above. A single-storey billiard room was added to the right in 1862–7 in similar materials, with a Bath stone triple-arched window with moulded caps to piers and moulded arched heads. It has a moulded ashlar cornice and parapet with ashlar coping.

West Elevation

The west elevation has five bays spaced 1-3-1 but without a centrepiece, matching the front with similar quoins, band, cornice, and parapet with urn finials to the angles. However, the walling is of rougher rubble stone, and there are ten of the Baroque window surrounds, oddly used on the attic and first floors. The left attic window is evenly spaced, but the windows below are set slightly further out, perhaps altered during the dining-room rebuilding in 1846. Six-pane fixed lights are fitted to the top floor, and 15-pane timber sashes to the first floor, except for a 12-pane to the left. Some moulded stone sills to the first floor appear to be reused. The ground floor has, to the left, an added dining-room window by Haycock, a squared bay in sandstone ashlar with entablature, cornice, and parapet, and large square corner pilasters with moulded plinths and capitals framing three long narrow sashes of 4-8-4 panes in plain ashlar walling, with stone sills and a low plinth. The remaining openings have ashlar keystones but otherwise oddly plain reveals. Three full-length 18-pane windows are positioned to the centre (the right one altered as a French window with overlight), and a 15-pane hornless timber sash to the right, with a stone sill (this was a dummy window in plans of circa 1814). Two lead downpipes have lead brackets and very fine moulded lead rainwater heads with the Powell crest, 'W P', and '1757'.

To the left is a low two-storey two-window north-west extension of 1846 by Haycock, in similar materials with quoins to the north-west angle, plinth, band, and cornice. The rubble stone parapet conceals a slate gable roof with a red brick stack to the rear gable. Plain stucco surrounds frame the windows, with 15-pane timber sashes to the ground floor and nine-pane similar sashes above with stone sills.

East Elevation

The east elevation has similar stone walls and coped parapet. Originally five-window, the left two bays are now obscured by the 1841 addition, which has a lean-to passage along the back added in the 1860s. Windows are without Baroque heads and have simple stone voussoirs. A centre service door with overlight sits in a rear porch.

Rear

The irregular rear is in rubble stone. The right third is stepped slightly forward and was presumably rebuilt in 1846 with the dining-room. It has a coped parapet and mainly rubble voussoirs to the flat heads of openings. Two massive chimneys sit on the parapet, stone heightened with red brick, with arched panels to each face of the brick section. The left stack has a square brick shaft and an added brick external chimneybreast up the wall face. The right stack is larger and probably dates from 1846, with stone impost bands each side of the arched panel. A small brick stack sits on the centre. The upper floor left has a sash with unusual elongated octagonal panes, mid-19th-century, and then a slightly lower sash has unusual intersecting Gothic glazing bars in the upper sash. To the centre are two long narrow stair lights with square attic lights over. To the right is the left side of the projecting part of the rear wall with two close-spaced inserted windows in red brick surrounds on each floor, long 10-pane and 12-pane to the first floor and four-pane and six-pane to the attic, and a small parallel-roofed 19th-century toilet addition at ground floor. To the right the north-west range projects.

Service Range

Attached at the north-east angle is a rectangular two-storey service range of 1841 by Coultart, containing Estate Office, Battery Store, Gutting and Plucking Rooms, Bakery, and Ironing and Laundry Rooms. It is constructed of coursed rubble with slate hipped eaves roofs. Hipped slight projections sit to each end of the north side, and a hipped return runs south at the east end of the south side. A big square red brick stack sits on the ridge of the south-east return and another brick stack towards the west end of the main ridge. Timber louvred ventilators are positioned at the intersection of the main roof and south-east return and on the hip of the south return. The south side has the projecting return to the right, then a small courtyard framed on the left by the connecting link to the rear of the main house. The squared stone south end of the return to the right has a large paired casement to the ground floor centre with stone voussoirs and a first floor triple casement with a timber lintel. The west side has a boarded door, then the main range set back to the left has a 12-pane hornless sash to the right, a door with blocked overlight to the left, and a first floor centre nine-pane hornless sash. The connecting link to the left has an east side 12-pane hornless sash to the ground floor and nine-pane above, all with stone voussoirs and slate sills. The rear north has three cross-windows to the ground floor and a tall door to the right, with a cross-window above the left window and a 12-pane sash above the right window. The west side has a two-storey three-window range, nine-pane sashes above, 20-pane below.

Interior

Entrance Hall

The entrance hall has a fine stone fireplace, possibly by Sir Henry Cheere, based on a William Kent design of circa 1720. It features an egg-and-dart surround, piers with floral drop, large side scrolls with grotesque heads, a cornice with lattice frieze, and a finely carved centre floral panel. Doorways have plain square-headed architraves, but the centre north door is set in a much larger Doric doorcase with fluted Roman Doric columns, triglyph frieze, and broken pediment with bust, of uncertain date, possibly 1846–8 by Haycock. Moulded plaster wall panels and overmantel, and a neo-Grec cornice with large mutules, are probably by Haycock. Panelled window recesses and fielded panelled shutters are fitted.

South-west Morning Room

The south-west morning room (library on the 1814–17 plan) has an earlier to mid-19th-century character with unusual octagonal panels to doors in reeded frames with corner roundels. Panelled split-level window shutters are fitted. The ceiling has an elaborate stepped cornice with a rope-scroll soffit and rich leafy scroll border. The centre acanthus rose with leaf sprays is set in a shallow coved recess with a leaf-moulded circle around. A large west wall elliptical-arched recess has curved reeding set in panels of pilasters and fielded panelling. A re-opened blank window sits within. Guilloche decoration adorns the arch. The chimneypiece of the 1840s has coloured marble panels set in flush black marble framing, with a fine cast iron grate. The thick north wall between the morning room and library has a lobby opening onto the garden. The lobby has a four-rib Regency vault with quatrefoil to the centre, and a brick arch over the window.

West Library

The west library (Mr Powell's Room on the 1814–17 plan) is mid-19th-century in character, having a plain marble fireplace and fire grate by T.B. Lewis & Son. Panelled window reveals, an elaborate plaster ceiling with richly ornamented cove, and Regency-style six-panel doors with multiple mouldings are fitted.

North-west Dining Room

The north-west dining room was remodelled in 1845–7 by Haycock (on the site of a much smaller room, called the Evidence Room on the 1814–17 plan). The heavy panelled ceiling has panelled soffits to the main raised beams, which rest on moulded brackets. Smaller cross beams sit between, all plastered with egg-and-dart mouldings to panels. Six-panelled doors have planted mouldings in panels, with cornices on ornate console brackets. The north wall has a grey marble chimneypiece with console brackets and an iron grate.

Silver Vault and Butler's Quarters

The silver vault has a barrel vaulted stucco ceiling. The butler's quarters in the added north-west wing have slate flagged floors.

Stair Hall

The entrance hall gives onto the rear stair hall, not central to the entrance hall. The stair hall is divided by a massive pair of Tuscan plastered columns, each with its own entablature block above and modillions in cornices, matching the hall cornice. Two half-column responds are present. Fielded six-panel doors in moulded architraves lead to the entrance hall and side lobbies. A blank recess on the south wall possibly indicates that the hall is remodelled. A panelled dado is fitted, and the floor is lozenge pattern stone-flagged.

Main Staircase

The main staircase dates from circa 1750 and is open-well with a short connecting flight on the north wall. It has wide treads, bracketted tread ends, a heavy ramped rail spiralled at the foot, and triple column-on-vase balusters to each tread. Plaster panels and panelled dado line the walls, and two long stair lights have stained glass armorial panels and coloured glass margins, circa 1850. Haycock was probably responsible for the wall panels and the rich panelled ceiling. The ceiling has nine panels with moulded borders and ornament to ribs around the centre square, which has a small moulded rose. The elaborate cornice has egg-and-dart moulding under modillions with rosettes in soffits between.

Back Stair

The back stair to the east of the main stair is dog-leg, mid-18th-century, with heavy turned balusters and a thick moulded ramped rail. Brackets are fitted to tread ends. The stair light has intersecting glazing bars to the top sash and brightly coloured glass.

North-east Kitchen

The north-east kitchen fireplace has slate flag floors, a broad north fireplace arch of squared stone voussoirs, and a range marked 'A.W. Vicars Aberystwyth' and 'Improved Patent Gradient Range'. A massive 19th-century fitted dresser is present.

Store

The store has a slate flag floor, meat-hooks, a plate rack, and a copper basin and boiler.

Back Hall

The back hall passage has a flagged floor, servants' bells, and room name plates, and turns east behind the former south-east front room (dining-room on the 1814–17 plans), which has been subdivided into three small rooms in the 19th century.

1841 East Wing

The 1841 east wing has small rooms.

Billiard Room

The billiard room, reached by a passage behind, has an 1860s deep-coved plaster ceiling with moulded cornice and six glass panels in the centre flanked by panels with neo-classical corner rosettes.

First Floor

Landing and Gallery

The first floor landing and gallery were remodelled by Haycock, circa 1848. The stair rail continues along the landing front, and a colonnade sits beyond: paired centre columns and half column responds open to a long axial gallery. An enriched frieze runs below the cornice. The axial gallery is in three parts. The main centre part has columns on the south wall matching the colonnade, disguising that the saloon is not on axis. A Greek cornice with triglyphs and mutules runs all around. The wall columns frame the door to the saloon and a false door on each side, in shouldered architraves. Slightly set back to each side of the colonnades are arched doorways with moulded arches and pilasters; those to the east of the stair give access south to the subdivided south-east room and north to the back stairs. Broad arches with pilasters and triple keystones open into the outer galleries, with full-height pilasters in the angles. The outer galleries have a central feature on each side: a large panel in a shouldered surround with head breaking into the pulvinated frieze of an ornate broken pediment, and ceilings with mutule cornice but not the triglyph frieze. The west gallery has two opposed doors at the east end, both arched with pilasters, opening onto bedrooms, and one each side at the west end, square-headed with cornice over bolection-moulded frieze. The east gallery has one corniced door on each side at the east end with cornices. Both galleries have end windows in shouldered architraves.

Saloon or Music Room

The saloon or music room in the centre of the south front has a sycamore floor replaced in 1799 after dry rot. Remarkable French Rococo style decoration, probably of the 1840s by Haycock, is suggested by some heaviness of the moulding and the outsize mirrored panels, which cannot be 18th-century. An antechamber at the north end is divided from the main room by an arcade with four scagliola plaster columns. A fine north doorcase has a pediment on consoles and leaf-scroll frieze, and a six-panel door. The flat ceiling has applied rococo scrollwork. Big wall mirrors with quadrant-curved rebated corners, one on each side of the door and one on each side wall, sit in moulded surrounds with plaster loops in angles. The main room has extensive use of gold leaf throughout. A dado rail, plaster big wall panels similar to mirror frames, a marble fireplace on the west wall, and a very large mirror opposite in a shouldered surround with rococo scrollwork above and below are present. The chimneypiece is very fine in four colours of marble with big console brackets and carved drops below, and a centre relief panel with fox and goose motif, possibly mid-18th-century by Sir Henry Cheere. The fireplace has a brass surround and iron grate. A very large oval mirror over the fireplace has rich rococo scrolls all around. The south wall has mirrors between windows. Rococo scrollwork also sits over and between the arches of the north arcade. A rich cornice has a leaf-scroll frieze, dentils, acanthus modillions with rosettes to soffits between, and a moulded border to the sunk ceiling. The ceiling has an oval centrepiece, four corner roundels, and four rectangular panels with concave-curved ends, one on each side of the oval. The roundels have relief fruit motifs, the side panels have cartouches and leafy floral sprays, and the oval has a reeded border with leaf ornament, a large centre pendant rose with spiral acanthus, in a rich surround of floral and fruit plant trails.

South-west Nightingale Room

The south-west Nightingale room, the main bedroom, has an elaborate stucco ceiling with rococo branches and leaf trails framing relief busts of Shakespeare and Milton. A dentil cornice runs around. The north wall chimneypiece has a painted timber surround to grey marble, a bolection-moulded frieze with fruit festoon on the centre panel, and a cornice over. A wall panel above has eared corners and a broken pediment with a flower vase in the centre. The fireplace has a fine 'Ironbridge' grate of circa 1790, incorporating reliefs of the iron bridge and neo-classical vases and motifs.

Bathroom

The bathroom adjoining, the former dressing room, has a grey marble fire surround with panelled pilasters and curved corners to the panelled lintel. A timber surround has a moulded frieze and cornice.

North-west Damask Room

The north-west Damask Room or Pink Room over the dining room is of circa 1846–8 with a plain moulded cornice and north wall marble plain fireplace with grate.

Macaw Room

The Macaw Room has a six-panelled door, dentil cornice, and timber fire surround and mantle.

Boudoir and Blue Room

Two rooms in the subdivided south-east corner, the Boudoir and Blue Room, have similar earlier 19th-century Gothic arcading to the frieze, cornice, and small cove with fluting around the ceiling. A marble fireplace is fitted.

North-east Powell Room

The north-east Powell Room has a dado and long fielded panels, moulded stucco cornice, and fire grate by W. Davies.

Top Floor

The top floor has 1950s ceilings, following removal of the attic storey above. Six-panel doors lead to rooms. A cast-iron fireplace sits to one bedroom at the north-east, with twisted columns. The south rooms retain early 18th-century raised fielded panelling and dado rails. Nineteenth-century mouldings frame the windows, shutters, and doors. A remnant of stairs to the attic storey and roof, now blocked, is still traceable. The roof was formerly of three ridges, with remnants of original pegged trusses.

Cellars

The cellars have slate steps and flagged and cobbled floors. The wine cellar has tiled floors and brick and slate wine racks. Elsewhere, wine racks of 1848 have segmental-headed brick arches. A massive stone arch leads to the centre chamber, and two blocked 18th-century two-light wooden windows are present. Gerald Morgan (2001) saw rough ceiling beams, now masked, possibly reused sections of scarfed crucks. A massive timber door leads to a half barrel-vault beneath the main entrance, with side chambers vaulted in brick. The front wall has sash windows with narrow glazing bars.

Service Range Interior

The service range of 1841 is in poor condition. A 19th-century staircase has a ramped rail, turned newels, and stick balusters.