2003

 

II*  

Designated  

09/01/1956  

29/01/1998  

Blaengavenny Farmhouse  

 

Monmouthshire  

Crucorney  

Abergavenny  

Pen-y-Clawdd  

331113  

219653  

 

On the old Abergavenny-Hereford road about half way between Llanvihangel Crucorney and Pantygelli.  

Domestic  

 

Part of this house dates from the period 1480-1520 and was the hall, possible 'solar' and cross passage of a possible long-house which had either another room to the right or a cow house also entered off the cross passage. This house was serviced by an external kitchen which also survives (qv). In 1621 (datestone) the lower end was rebuilt as a two storey cross-wing and the hall had an upper floor inserted and was given an inner heated room behind a post and panel screen. These alterations are certainly C17 and there seems no reason to doubt the date stone which is over the porch, and this must also have been added at that time. The house has had only superficial alterations since that date.  

Pennant and red sandstone rubble with a concrete tile roof. One storey and attic to the hall range and two storeys to the crosswing. Four bay entrance front with a 2-light stone mullioned window to the inner room, a 3-light wooden framed mullion and transom window to the hall with a concrete lintel. The previous window was stone mullioned and evidence for it survives in the walling to the left (Fox and Raglan interpreted this as having been a 4-light window on either side of a king mullion). A gabled porch with datestone 1621, projects before a studded oak door in oak frame. This door shows evidence of having been rehung and may once have been the door from cross-passage to hall. Modern 3-light wooden framed window in gable to right. The attic has one gabled dormer with casement window over the hall window, this is a later insertion, presumably in 1621, but it has been reconstructed since. The first floor of the cross-wing has another window as below. Bargeboards to gable. External gable end stack to left, hall stack backing onto cross-passage and lateral stack to right for the cross-wing. The left gable end has a probably added stack for the ground floor inner room.This is flanked by modern single light windows in chamfered C17 surrounds to light the attic and below an original chamfered window with mortices for an iron grille. The right gable has a side elevation which is partly rendered and has one window below and two above; modern timber casements in altered openings. The large stack is set in a gable which continues the main ridge, and this stack is weathered for a thatch. The rear elevation is partly covered by a later lean-to, and there is a blocked 2-light stone mullioned window into the old hall. The rear door of the cross passage has been altered and there is a semi-open corridor which joins the house to the former kitchen, now outhouse and granary (qv).  

The door enters the cross-passage with the door to the hall on the left, this has been altered. The hall has a post and panel screen with the doorways surviving at both ends, with a shaped head on the left and a pointed head on the right. Large fireplace with chamfered stone surround. Ceiling beams with bar-and-runout stops The inner room has a fireplace with monolithic jambs and lintel. The evidence for the 'solar' is rather contradictory, ie the two doors in the screen and the fireplace, but Fox and Raglan's plan does show only one door in the screen. The 1621 cross-wing also has beams with bar-and-runout stops which suggest the hall had the first floor added at the same time. Fireplace stair in the hall to the upper floor. This retains the open hall roof with well finished chamfered arch braced collar bream trusses with a wall plate and three tiers of purlins, the apex of the roof is ceiled and cannot be seen. The roof is in four bays and has one bay walled off to form an inner room. The timbers are all heavily varnished but do appear to be smoke blackend from the open fire which may have been used from c1500-1621. The cross-wing has a staircase beside the lateral stack which is oak and has at the top an L-shaped section of early C18 turned balusters with handrail. Principal rafter roof with the ties cut to form brackets, although there are also mortices for a tie at a higher level.  

Highly graded as an exceptionally interesting late medieval house which was altered in 1621 and has only had minor alterations since.