Llandaff House

Crossways (2) & Llandaff House (4), Fairwater Road

The house is built of stone rubble with rendered walls and a Welsh slate roof. Double depth central entrance plan in the domestic Palladian style. Two storeys and full attic storey, three bay front with, at either end, a 3-light splayed bay to full height, bracketed cills and heavy cornice at attic level. Central first floor window in plain stuccoed aedicule flanked by narrower window to either side, below this a dooorway with flanking windows and a pillared and pedimented porch. This last is a late C20 restoration of the original entrance, which had become a window; the porch is unfinished and has never had the columns plastered. Sash windows, mostly with glazing bars but the attic windows have horns. 6 over 6 panes except for the flanking windows in the centre which are narrow 4 over 4 sashes. The building is now divided into two houses. No 2 has the right hand full height bay and the Cardiff Road wing, this is formed from the Dining Room, Kitchen and other service rooms with bedrooms above. No 4 has the original central entrance and the left hand full height bay with the garden wing. This house is formed from the Drawing Room, staircase, Ballroom, Billiard Room and bedrooms.

The left return (No 4) has four bays of 6 over 6 sashes with an inserted doorway with modern pillared porch on the ground floor. The attic windows to No 4 have 3 over 1 panes. The ground rises and the rear room, a large ballroom, is at a higher level. This has a large tripartite stucco framed window and paired sashes above. Beyond this is a c1880 extension which is limestone rubble with red brick dressings. This has two sashes with elliptical heads on the ground floor and a paired one sitting on a cill band above, these are to the billiard room. Eaves on brackets. This room has a large lantern with pyramid roof.

No features older than mid C18 were in evidence. The cellars have two barrel vaults in rubble. The original entrance hall is in the process of being converted back to its first use. The Drawing Room has mid C18 panelling, doors and fireplace surround. The panels above the dado are covered in Victorian embossed gilded paper. The west window has been converted to a door and back again to a plain glazed window. Entrance door with two fine Victorian stained glass panels. Open well staircase with wrought iron balustrade and mahogany rail. Cantileved stone stairs with shaped soffits; this leads to a half-landing with the entrance to the rear wing. This has the Ballroom, which has mahogany doors with Palladian surrounds and an altered fireplace. Behind this is the Victorian wing with a closet in the Burges Gothic manner and a Billiard Room with an elaborate inglenook with fireplace dated 1888, stained glass, coved ceiling and a large lantern light. The main stair rises to a landing with three doorways, one now blocked (No 2). Plain bedrooms. Bathroom with Victorian fittings. Attic floor not seen.