MM180

Medieval Building adjoining Magor Churchyard  

04/08/1972  

Designated  

Monmouthshire  

Magor with Undy  

342485  

187014  

Domestic  

House (domestic)  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of the remains of a substantial late medieval building traditionally known as the Procurator’s House. The site comprises the remains of a two storey building with a basement located immediately to the W of the churchyard on its W side. It lies in a narrow strip of land between the churchyard and the road in an area that has been landscaped. The building is built of roughly coursed Triassic sandstone rubble with ashlar quoins, fireplaces and dressings. It is roughly rectangular in plan with 2 small projecting wings, one possibly a porch facing the churchyard and one recorded as facing the village square. The section of N wall is 11m long and stands 4m high and is up to 0.6m wide. It has a small window at the W end, a large opening with a gently arching top and a blocked chimney opening at first floor level. Some of the facing stone is still in place. The E wall is 16m in length and stands to a maximum height of 6m, with the full height of the chimney surviving. The basement level has 4 pointed arched openings, two either side of the central chimney. At ground floor level are 3 pointed arched windows, 2 to the N of the central chimney and 1 to the S. The fireplace is missing from the central chimney, although a hole where it was is present together with the relieving arch. Immediately to the S of the fireplace is a narrow window. A second ruined chimney is located at the S end of the wall, also missing the fireplace but retaining the opening and relieving arch. A second narrow window is located to the S of this chimney. At first floor level the central fireplace survives together with two pointed arch window openings on the S side of the chimney. The SW wall survives as a 3m long stretch, up to 6m high. Putlog holes and fragments of wall plaster survive on the interior of the structure. The building is referred to as the mansion belonging to the Vicar of Magor in 1585 and most of the surviving architectiral details are of 15th or 16th century date but a possible earlier house on the site may have been linked with the Italian Abbey at Anagni to which Church tithes were granted in 1238. The tithes were subsequently granted to the Cistercian community at Tintern. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval domestic architecture. It is a substantial mansion more reminiscent of the Vale of Glamorgan in its height and finish than the Gwent levels but with contemporary parallels in style of not layout to more ambitious high status structures in the area such as Moynes Court and Pencoed Castle. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. It forms one of an evocative grouping of medieval buildings at the historic core of Magor, including the impressive parish church and the ruins of another late medieval house some 30m to the west. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.