16390

 

II  

Designated  

21/08/1995  

21/08/1995  

Laundry Buildings at Pennant  

 

Powys  

Berriew  

 

Pennant  

316884  

297034  

 

Set back from the main A483 road to the S of the community.  

Domestic  

 

A timber framed house was replaced with a brick house in 1755. A privately-owned painting shows that this building was 2 storeyed, with central pedimented gabled bay, and gabled dormers to attic of SW wing. The house was subsequently raised in height, probably in the early C19. Other remodelling work was carried out at the same time, and most of the interior fittings appear to be early C19. Built for a Charles Humphreys, the house was lived in for a time by William Pugh, an influential figure in the continuation of the Montgomeryshire Canal from Garthmyl to Newtown.  

Brick with slate roofs, with brick end wall stacks. House is 3 storeyed, and comprises a shallow front range with 3 rear wings. Entrance front faces SE: 3 storeys, 5 bays, with slightly advanced central bay. Central entrance has glazed doors and finely gauged brick head beneath moulded entablature hood. Windows above and in flanking bays are 12-pane sashes (6-pane to the 3 attic storey windows), and have finely gauged brick heads with stressed keys. Storeys articulated by unmoulded projecting string courses, and the lower storey emphasised by brick quoins to outer angles and to central advanced bay. Plain pilasters in upper storey. Rear wing to SW is largely mid C18, though the upper storey is a later addition; paired 12-pane sash windows of diminishing width to lower storeys, 6-pane sashes to attic. Plain string course between ground and first floor. Rear bay is a later addition but may incorporate part of an earlier structure, since it has stonework in the lower part of its rear wall. NE wing has a cast-iron mullioned and transomed window in rear gable, with sash windows above. Brick walls to either side link the house with the stable and laundry pavilion blocks, which were probably added in the early C19 remodelling: laundry (to the NE) has cast-iron mullioned and transomed windows on each floor in gable; similar window and doorway alongside in elevation facing house. Stable (to SW) has paired segmentally arched doorways in elevation facing house, and high set windows in gable. It retains its original stall dividers.  

Planned about a central entrance and stair hall, with principal rooms in front range and SW wing. Most of the interior detail is early C19: joinery includes panelled doors and rebates, and window shutters; simple plaster cornices, with some egg and dart and beading; marble fireplace surrounds, and decorative cast iron grates. One upper room retains ceiling plaster-work which may be mid C18: a moulded central octagon contains in relief, a branch, a fish, a bird, and a sun. The staircase (to the rear of the entrance hall) is certainly mid C18: alternately twisted and fluted balusters (2 per tread), with moulded tread ends, swept rail, and dado panelling.  

With its associated outbuildings, Pennant represents a well-preserved country-house ensemble; the fine brickwork of the house is particularly notable, and it retains a good deal of its character, derived from the original mid C18 house with its subsequent remodelling.