Nantgarw House

Nantgarw House is a symmetrical, two-storey, three-window range dating from the 18th century, with a rear outshut and a single-storey lean-to to the east gable. The building is constructed of limewashed rubble stone, with a replaced slate roof and brick end stacks. The front elevation features a panelled door, set beneath a segmental stone head, flanked by windows with similar stone heads above and flat-headed windows in the upper storey directly below the eaves. All windows have replaced six-over-six-pane, horned sashes.

The east lean-to extends slightly to the rear and has an artificial slate roof and a late 20th-century brick eaves stack, offset to the right. A square window with a brick surround is set to the left. Signs reading 'Crochendy / Nantgarw / China-Works' are fixed to the gable apexes of both the main range and the east end. The ground falls to the west, and the west gable end rises to three storeys, containing two cellar entrances. A wide doorway with a segmental stone head and a planked door is centrally positioned, while a narrower doorway in a similar style leads into the rear outshut to the left. Above this latter doorway is a tall, round-headed stairlight with a brick head, relieving arch, and replaced multi-pane glazing.

The rear outshut features a planked door under a flat head in a panel of brickwork, set to the left of centre. Irregularly sized and positioned multi-pane windows are situated to the left and right, the former having a concrete lintel. The rear side of the east lean-to presents a late 20th-century planked door and a window, both with brick dressings, including a relieving arch over the door.

The house was originally a shell and has been converted to a museum, resulting in the removal of partition walls, floors, ceilings, and plaster from the walls. A round-headed doorway directly ahead of the front door leads into the outshut, suggesting a former central passage. Flat-headed doorways with replaced brick jambs and wooden lintels lead from the front rooms to the outshut. Fireplaces with segmental brick heads are found at each end, flanked by square-headed recesses. An open-well staircase, which has been rebuilt in wood, rises from the centre of the rear outshut. A small room with a fireplace occupies the space beneath the staircase. The former room to the right of the outshut retains a flagstone floor and a spiral stone staircase leading down to the cellar, which shows evidence of alteration, including brick blockings. Toilets are located in the east lean-to. The cellar’s floor is cobbled and the beams have been replaced. It contains a small room at the base of the staircase and a larger room to the west, accessed through a wide, square-headed opening. A round arched doorway to the west leads north into a small room below the outshut, also with a flagstone floor. The upper storey of the house is open plan.