18978

 

II  

Designated  

15/10/1997  

15/10/1997  

The Grove  

 

Pembrokeshire  

Templeton  

 

Molleston  

209353  

212949  

 

Reached by a private lane 500 m N of Molleston Cross, W of the road to Narberth.  

Domestic  

 

House of the Poyer family, tanners, of Canaston, probably dating from the early C18. Henry Poyer was assessed for four hearths here in 1670, perhaps on a previous house. The present house may have been built by his son Daniel, who inherited in 1677 and was still present in 1701. There is reference to Daniel Poyer of the Grove, Narberth, in 1690. The original part of the present house at The Grove is the E-facing block. The house remained in the Poyer family until it was acquired through marriage by the Callen family in 1808. Fenton in 1811 refered to the 'respectable old house' but reported that it had ceased to be occupied as a family mansion. It was later acquired through marriage by the Lewis family and became part of the Henllan estate. In c.1870 the architect Richard Seddon heightened the house and added a large N wing. Seddon was the Llandaff diocesan architect and Bishop Lewis of Llandaff was a relative of the owners.  

A house of two architectural periods, the earlier being a five-window block facing E, originally of two storeys. The ground and first storey windows are all exposed-frame sash windows of twelve panes, and of the same height. The ground storey windows are of 2:1 proportion, but those of the first storey are narrower. Apart from these features the E elevation is as restored during the C19 enlargement of the house. There is a top storey with double casement windows, aligned with the earlier windows beneath. Rendered with string courses at sill levels and a decorative eaves cornice. Slate roof with decorative crest tiles and rendered end-chimneys. A rear extension with a large chimney at the gabled end belongs to the original house, the extension evidently having been heightened together with the main block at the time of the C19 enlargement. Facing N is the main C19 addition, designed by Seddon, a two-storey block, rendered, with a steeply pitched slated roof. Canted link to the old block at left, octagonal end at right. 3 bays, with narrower central bay decorative projecting bargeboards and collars to the N-facing gables. Chimneys on the N and W elevations with diagonally-set paired stacks in red brick. The design is gothic, with meticulous consideration of detail; it seeks to break the hard line between wall and roof: irregular fenestration gathered into three through-eaves dormer gables, with short sections of projecting eaves between. The left gable is clasped by an axial chimney. The windows are sashes, with small panes in the top sashes and larger panes in the lower sashes. The upper sills sit on a string course. In the ground storey windows the lower sashes are single panes of plate glass. In the upper storey a pair of unequal windows in the left bay is balanced by a mullioned double-width window in the right; in the lower storey the porch and a small window at left is balanced by a pair of windows at right. Decorative segmental arches over the windows, including large additional arches to the upper windows. Main entrance at left a white-painted partly glazed door within an open timber porch. The rafters of the main roof, front gables and porch are conspicuously sprocketted or curved near the foot.  

Spacious entrance hall with good joinery at point where the Seddon extension adjoins the old part. In the old part is a panelled room at the N end.  

Listed as a house with substantial C18 character retained in the original block, and C19 additions which represent a competent essay in domestic gothic.