25578

 

II*  

Designated  

18/07/2001  

18/07/2001  

Ty-asch  

 

Monmouthshire  

Goetre Fawr  

Pontypool  

Mamhilad  

329933  

203467  

N  

About 650m west of the Church of St. Illtyd approached off Folly Lane via Hill Grove.  

Domestic  

 

An extraordinarily unaltered late C16 gable entry two-cell house which had a kitchen/bakehouse added to it before 1650. It remained in use as a farmhouse until 1930 but had no changes other than Victorian casements. It was converted to a cowhouse and the stone slate roof was probably removed at that time. The building has remained unchanged since. The significant losses are the front door and the stud and panel partition which were possibly also removed in 1930.  

The house is constructed of local red and purple sandstone rubble which is still partly lime rendered and has a corrugated iron roof. A one-and-a half storey, two unit gable entry house with attached single storey kitchen/bakehouse. The gable entry faces south and has the doorway to the left with moulded oak frame with four-centred head. The upper floor has two 3-light windows, possibly with original frames but with the mullions removed. The stack has collapsed above the ridge. The long wall to the right (east) has two windows to the lower floor, again possibly in original frames, although the right hand one has had a Victorian casement added. The rear gable has an upper floor window and a blocked doorway into the bakehouse/kitchen, the doorway would be contemporary with the bakehouse. The left long wall has a small window and a large 3-light Victorian casement; both these may be original openings but the cills have been dropped. The north gable has an attached kitchen of one bay. This retains a complete unglazed window of 4 lights with diamond mullions. The walling to the right of this has collapsed; there may have been a door or it may have been entered only from the house. The rear wall has a later window and is otherwise featureless. There are some indications of other blocked openings.  

The building was converted into a cowshed after it was abandoned as a house in 1930 and there are brick walls for cattle pens. This involved the blocking of the staircase, the rear gable door into the kitchen and the probable removal of the post-and-panel partition but the interior is otherwise unchanged. The fire wall has an oak framed doorway with moulding and four-centred head to the left, the staircase remains behind the brick blocking. To the right of this is a massive firplace with chamfered beam. This has a pointed head shelf carved into it, probably for salt. The entry is to the right of the fireplace. The room is spanned by five massive chamfered beams with ogee stops. The rear gable wall has the blocked doorway to the kitchen. The upper floor was not entered at resurvey but the roof can be seen clearly from below. Three bay principal rafter roof; the principals are almost upper crucks since they enter the wall head rather than resting upon it. Three tiers of purlins, the principals are halved and pegged at the apex and support a diagonally set ridge piece. The principals and collars are chamfered. Many of the secondary rafters are also original but more damaged. The interior of the kitchen has a partly collapsed hearth and oven. The interior face of the original C17 window demonstrates an extremely good state of preservation. Principal rafter roof but less well finished than in the main house. Little evidence of an upper floor but it would probably have had a crog loft reached by a ladder for the use of servants.  

Included at a higher grade as an exceptionally unaltered late C16?early C17 farmhouse which has never been modernised.