This lovely Italianate listed villa has been converted to a wedding venue. After careful consultation with the planners, it was agreed that the new function room, capable of seating up to 150 guests, could be concealed within the existing stable block courtyard to the rear.

 

In removing a small part of the listed structure and enclosing the remainder of the courtyard by providing a new roof with exposed rafters and a tapered rooflight, the impact of this contemporary extension is minimised. Direct links back to the existing large kitchen, sensitive relocation of the existing stable floor externally and parking within the sunken garden make this a unique private venue, ideally located at the 'Gateway to Wales' by the Severn Bridge. 

 

The practice has also been involved in some of the conversion works within the main villa, including conversion of the disused tower into function toilets and a tower suite. This involved squeezing a tight staircase and bedroom into a space of less than 3m square.  The resulting tiny but spectacular bedroom provides 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside, including that over the original Severn Bridge.

 

Geraint Thomas talks about cycling and St. Tewdrics courtesy of BBC Wales - http://bbc.in/2qiArMJ

 

"We chose Downs Merrifield as architects because having worked with them on a previous project, we believed their creative style in terms of design solutions would be perfect for our project at St Tewdrics House. Their creative design solutions and relaxed approach to resolving any issues really benefited this project. Working with Downs Merrifield is a true partnership, they are with you all the way through the many 'ups' and the few 'downs', which will inevitably happen on such a technically challenging job."