11545

 

II*  

Designated  

03/06/1964  

29/10/1999  

Pitt Farmhouse  

 

Swansea  

Penrice  

 

Penrice  

249283  

187086  

 

At roadside, about 1km south of Penrice church. Small walled enclosure to north, separate to farmyard; gardens to south. Outbuildings in the north enclosure.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

A mid-C17 farmhouse with an extension to the east. Redundant rafters in the roof space suggest the first bay of the east extension, now a kitchen, may not be original, but as this first bay includes a window hoodmould similar to those of the original range it is evidently very early. The house is described by the Royal Commission as a 'Renaissance centrally planned house of L shaped form'. A further extension east down several steps occurred later, and is indicated on an estate map of 1783. David Bennet (d1666), whose monument is in St Andrew's church, is recorded as tenant of Pitt in a survey of 1632, and he, or more probably another David Bennet, his son, was the builder. The latter was referred to in 1659 as 'gent'. In 1670 he had eight hearths. Bennet descendants remained at Pitt until the late C18.  

House of two storeys, the older part of which, including an originally occupiable attic, lies along the roadside. Two storey wing to the east. Local rubble masonry with whitewash to west and north; rendered to south and east. The east elevation of the wing is overgrown with ivy. Slate roof with one small north rooflight. Three large chimneys on original range, two on the east extension range. To the right of the chimney in the north gable elevation is a corbelled fireplace projection. The fenestration of Pitt has been completely altered, but the hood moulds of early windows survive on the west elevation, facing the road (two at ground storey, two at first storey), and on the north side facing the farmyard (one left of chimney at attic, two at first storey and two at ground storey). One similar hoodmould survives at ground storey on the south elevation of the first eastwards extension, and two small ones right of the main entrance door in the east elevation of the main range. Two to right of chimney in south gable elevation. The present fenestration of Pitt, and the doors to east and north, are of the C19. One six-pane sash-window at centre of west elevation, with small window adjacent. Small casement in north gable; small four-pane sash windows to first storey, larger similar to ground storey. The east elevation of the main range has a blind window and three twelve-pane sash windows; four similar in the adjacent south elevation of the east wing.  

The original north/south range parallel to the road consists of a parlour to the south, a small service bay including the staircase, and a north service room now acting as a second parlour. An east extension of the latter is now a kitchen, with an external door to the north and a large fireplace in the east wall. There is a later additional east bakehouse extension, down several steps, with a separate external door serving it to the north. The house is entered from the east side of the original range by its original main doorway into a small entrance lobby with original two-panel doors to the left and right and the main stairs ahead. The flight to the first floor has carved square newels with recessed panels and bulbous finials, wall-strings and half-balusters each side (the light partition on the south side of the stairs being original), carved handrail. Simpler continuation of the same staircase to the attic. A back staircase in the east wing has winding oak stairs, those of the lower flight having hollow-curved treads. The upper flight from first floor to the roof-space has straight-fronted treads. The roof structure of the original range is in five bays, with a full-height masonry cross-wall to the north side of the staircase position. The trusses are of collar beam type with curved lapped dovetailed collars. Some original rafters remain to the east side of the original structure, where the roof above the kitchen unit has been added. The east-wing roof consists of straight collar-beam trusses.  

Listed at Grade II* as a spaciously planned and well-lit minor gentry farmhouse of the mid-C17, retaining interior features.