Llanmihangel Place ( cy, Plas Llanmihangel) is a Grade I listed manor house in the
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol ...
, South Wales. It became a Grade I listed building on 16 December 1952. The house dates back to the 12th century, when it was constructed as a single-storey dwelling.
Location
Llanmihangel Place is located in the Nant Llanmihangel Valley, built on a southward facing slope. It is situated between the towns of
Cowbridge
Cowbridge ( cy, Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff.
The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council.
A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for ...
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg ), often referred to as The Vale, is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It borders Bridgend County Borough to the west, Cardiff to the east, Rhondda Cynon Taf to the north, and the Bristol ...
.
History
Llanmihangel Place dates back to the 12th century; the first recorded building on the site was a one-storey structure which was owned by a Norman knight. During the 15th and 16th centuries, the site underwent a significant expansion which incorporated the original Norman structure into the basement. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the house was owned by the Thomas family, a prominent aristocrat family. The last of the family to own Llanmihangel was
Sir Robert Thomas, 2nd Baronet
Sir Robert Thomas, 2nd Baronet (c.1622-1685) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1661 to 1681. He was knighted and succeeded as baronet in 1673 on the death of his father.
In 1697, Llanmihangel Place was sold to the Lord Mayor of London,
Humphrey Edwin Sir Humphrey Edwin (1642–1707) was an English merchant and Lord Mayor of London for the year 1697 to 1698.
Early life
Edwin was born at Hereford, the only son of William Edwin, twice mayor of Hereford, by his wife, Anne, of the family of Mansfi ...
. The building remained in the Edwin family before becoming the home of John Franklin, a judge, and becoming the property of the
Earl of Dunraven
Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl (usually referred to as Earl of Dunraven) was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 5 February 1822 for Valentine Quin, 1st Viscount Mount-Earl. Quin had already been created a Baronet, of Adare ...
.
In 1988, it was bought for £139,000 by new owners who renovated the property. in the early 21st century, the house was being used as a
bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Bed and breakfasts are often private family homes and typically have between four and eleven rooms, wit ...
. It was listed for sale in 2018 for £1.3 million.
Layout
The main house is a Grade I
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
, while the terrace, steps, barn and stable are all Grade II listed. The description of its listing states that the house is an "exceptionally rare survival, intact and largely unaltered". The building is built of lias limestone and features a pitched slate roof. In its current form, the house features 12 bedrooms, split over four floors, a study, servants quarters and a dining room, two kitchens and a drawing room. The grounds of the estate are around 10 acres and are designated Grade II* on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.