Upper Dyffryn House, Grosmont, Monmouthshire is a farmhouse dating from the early 17th century. It was built by John Gainsford,

Sheriff of Monmouthshire This is a list of Sheriffs of Monmouthshire, an office which was created in 1536 but not fully settled until 1540. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, the shrievalty of Monmouthshire was abolished, and replac ...

in 1604. The farmhouse is Grade II* listed as are the dairy and kitchen which stand a little way from the main building.

History and description

The farmhouse was constructed in the very early 17th century, Cadw recording that the builder was almost certainly John Gainsford, who served as Sheriff in 1604. Both the exterior and the interior have been little altered subsequently. The kitchen and dairy, which comprise a separate building set a little away from the house may originally have been constructed as an independent dwelling. Its construction date is "probably contemporary" or slightly later than the farmhouse. The architectural historian John Newman describes Upper Dyffryn as a "tall early 17th century farmhouse". It is two storeys high, with attics above, and constructed of

Old Red Sandstone The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also exte ...

rubble. It has a stair turret and tall chimney stacks, representing "a considerable advance in layout". The dairy is also of two storeys and of rubble construction and has a "fine

ovolo The ovolo or echinus is a convex decorative molding profile used in architectural ornamentation. Its profile is a quarter to a half of a more or less flattened circle. The 1911 edition of ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' says:adapted from Ital. ''u ...

moulded doorway with ornate shaped door-head". Both the farmhouse and the dairy remain in private ownership and have separate Grade II* listed building designations.

Notes

References

* {{Cite book , last=Newman, first=John , authorlink=John Newman (architectural historian) , series=The Buildings of Wales , title=Gwent/Monmouthshire , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=knRf4U60QjcC&dq=The+Buildings+of+Wales%3A+Gwent%2FMonmouthshire&pg=PA2 , year=2000 , publisher=Penguin , location=London , isbn=0-14-071053-1 Buildings and structures in Monmouthshire Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire Country houses in Wales