24298

 

II  

Designated  

27/10/2000  

27/10/2000  

The Pant  

 

Monmouthshire  

Skenfrith  

Abergavenny  

Cross Ash  

339325  

218388  

 

Approximately 4km N of Llantilio Crossenny, built on sloping ground on S side of minor road, some 300m E of fork at Hill House on B 4521.  

 

 

The reused cruck blades in roof of the former cellar possibly survive from an earlier cruck framed hall-house that may have existed on the site. Whatever its original form, the present house is largely mid C17 in character. Although the two principal ground-floor rooms have ovolo ceiling beams with flat and scroll stops which are likely to date from 1650-60, the room at the upper end, probably the original hall, may have earlier origins. The monolithic fireplace lintel and sunk chamfer gable doorway in the hall are of an earlier stylistic type, generally dated to between c1600-1625. One explanation is that the hall was built first and later revamped in the mid C17 when a second room, the parlour, was added at the lower end. A straight joint in the S elevation substantiates this development sequence. External masonry also suggests that the attached former granary and dairy at E end is a subsequent addition, probably late C17. The cellar lean-to was probably added later, in late C17- early C18. Bradney states that The Pant was for three generations the home of the Morris family, and that Morgan Morris, rector of Mitchel Troy and vicar of Wonastow, purchased the estate in 1635.  

Rubble stone, randomly laid; slate roof with tile ridge. Stone stacks have C20 brick flues: two off-centre ridge stacks, and one stack at W gable. N elevation is one-and-a-half storey and irregular. Windows are C20 wooden casements. W front window openings have shallow timber lintels with stone relieving arches, and stone sills. Large, two-storey gabled entrance porch projects off-centre (right), with 2+2+2 pane window in gable head and entrance doorway with C20 glazed wooden double-doors. To right of porch, first floor has gabled dormer with 2+2 casement and ground floor 3+3+3 pane window with stone voussoir head. Far right is hipped lean-to of the former cellar which has a late C17-early C18, 2-light mullion and transom window with leaded upper lights. To left of porch, first floor has 2+2 casement; and ground floor a 2+2+2+2 pane casement with chamfered C17 timber lintel and flat-and-scroll stops. Projecting wing of former granary (to left) has 2+2 casement on first floor and 2+2+2+2 pane window below. Garden front faces S. Cellar projection at lower end (far left) has C20 glazed door. Main house, first floor has two gabled dormers with 2+2 casements; between them (just below eaves level) is a square 4-pane stair window, with two 2+2+2 windows on ground floor and a small 2-pane fixed window to left. Far right is similar 2-pane window and C20 glazed door to former granary.  

Mid C17 2-unit plan house has been enlarged by additions at each end-gable to form present 4-unit linear layout. Inner doorway of entrance porch has C19 4-panel door and opens into what is probably the parlour of C17 house, with hall through C20 boarded door (to left). Parlour has C17 ovolo moulded ceiling beams with flat-and- scroll stops, and joists with roll at angle. Wooden fireplace lintel is chamfered with scroll stop. To right of fireplace is boarded door to former cellar at lower end. Cellar has stone-flagged floor; chamfered ceiling beams (one probably reused), and C20 oak partition to lobby of garden entrance. Hall is stone-flagged and has elaborate mid C17 double ovolo moulded ceiling beams with flat-and-scroll stops, and fireplace with chamfered monolithic lintel and large stone slabs to jambs (original hearth opening may have been wider). Fine C17 wooden, reserve chamfer doorway, with flat head and boarded half-doors, leads into modern kitchen (former dairy). On first floor of main house is a C17 chamfered wooden fireplace lintel with scroll stops, and flat headed chamfered door-frame also with scroll stops. Lean-to roof (above cellar) has two re- used medieval cruck blades as principals. Each blade is chamfered and morticed to carry a purlin. Main roof has collar trusses and two tiers of purlins.  

C17 gentry house of vernacular character and linear form, with well-preserved interior, retaining fine C17 woodwork.