2608

 

II  

Designated  

04/03/1952  

18/07/2001  

Church Farmhouse  

 

Monmouthshire  

Goetre Fawr  

Pontypool  

Goetre  

332683  

205982  

W  

About 100m north west of the Church of St. Peter in the centre of Goetre village.  

Domestic  

 

A probably early to mid C17 house which has been changed only in details since, apart from the addition of lean-to kitchens added on the rear wall in the C19. The porch is of uncertain date, possibly C18; a clue perhaps comes from Archdeacon Coxe who said in 1801, 'A farmhouse adjoining the church bears the appearance of a decayed mansion, and is almost the only object in the vicinity'. The porch is the only feature of mansion type, so perhaps it, or something like it, was already there. The pebbledash render was added in c1950.  

The front is pebbledash render, probably over local sandstone rubble, which can be seen beneath the lime render and paint on the rear walls; stone slate roof. Semi-symmetrical two storey and attic single depth house with central 3-storey gable. The ground floor has the entrance to the right of the central gable. This has the original C17 4-plank door with strap hinges in an oak frame with moulded jambs and a shaped head. This doorway is framed by a Doric porch of uncertain date. It has hollow timber unfluted columns, a modillion cornice and pediment. It is probably late C18 in origin but shows signs of repair. This is flanked by 3-light casement windows with three panes to each light with slight stone dripmoulds over. The windows appear to be late C18 but the moulds are characteristic of those added by Pontypool Park Estate to their refurbished properties purchased by Capel Hanbury Leigh (owner 1795-1861). This improvement could include the door surround, but no other Park property has anything similar. The windows are arranged evenly in the front but the off-centre doorway gives it an unbalanced look. There is a wide section of blank walling on the outside of both windows. The first floor has no window in the left wing, two 3-light casements as before in the central gable and to the right a C19 2-light casement with 12 + 12 panes close under the eaves. The attic has a 2 x 2 casement with dripmoulds in the central gable and a 2-light garret window in the right hand gable end. Plain roof with rebuilt red brick gable end stacks. The south gable end is blind. The rear wall is almost entirely covered by two separately built lean-tos. Modern door and window to one, 2-light end casement to the other.  

Interior only partly seen at resurvey. The doorway enters a central hall space which has been changed and the C17 staircase has gone. Straight flight stair which is probably c1800. The rooms to either side have large plain chamfered beams with run out stops; the fireplaces have been altered. Fox and Raglan reported a post-and-panel partition, a blocked spiral stair and doors of three planks but these were not seen, neither were the upper floors or the roof of three upper cruck trusses. The present owner, whose father was owner in Fox and Raglan's time, says the house has not been changed since and the September 2000 inspection supports this statement.  

Included as an unusually well-preserved C17 farmhouse.