2617

 

II  

Designated  

04/03/1952  

18/07/2001  

Pentre House  

 

Monmouthshire  

Goetre Fawr  

Pontypool  

Mamhilad  

331009  

203649  

S  

About 500m north east of the Church of St. Illtyd in the direction of Penperlleni and approached down a track by Pentre Farm.  

Domestic  

 

The house is traditionally dated in origin to the early to mid C16 but there is no convincing reason to do so. The principal clue is the single cruck truss described in Fox and Raglan as 'too large for the present house', and it may be that this was reused from an earlier house. Pentre itself appears to be a fairly standard two unit house of c1600 or so which was originally one and a half storeys. This house was heightened to a full two storeys probably in the C18, there is said to be a tablet on the chimney inscribed DW 1750, but this was not seen at resurvey. This could also be the date of the kitchen and granary wing but this is now too changed to be able to date effectively. The house has been completely modernised with all new external features and an extension in the 1980s and 1990s. There is a fireback in the house dated 1677 but this could well relate only to the date of its manufacture.  

The house is built of local random sandstone rubble, partly rendered and mostly painted, with Welsh slate roofs. Two storeys throughout but with three different rooflines, the oldest section being the highest. The main entrance front has the taller, older block in the centre with the probably C18 block to the left and the late C20 wing to the right. The original block is two full storeys in height (see History) and has a central gabled porch (modern) with flanking 2-light casements with elliptical heads. To the left is a small casement, which looks like a C17 firewindow, but is actually a later opening to light the corridor between the blocks. The upper floor has two more 2-light casements under the eaves. Gable end stone stacks with weathering, the one on the left is the C17 one. To the right is a two storey one window extension which is neither rendered nor painted. To the left is a lower added wing which has, from the left, a small casement, a 3 + 3 pane French casement, a 2-light casement with elliptical head and a plain boarded door with elliptical head. Three 2-light casements to the floor above. The gable end is slate hung above a modern 3-light window. The rear elevation of the main block shows clearly how the roof has been raised (see Interior). The ground floor has one small window to the left and a large 2-light casement with elliptical head to the right. The upper floor has three windows which rise from the original walling into the heightening, a 2-light casement, a 2 x 2 pane casement and a 2-light casement, all under the eaves. The later wing to the right has a two storey gabled projection, a window on each floor of the return, and the main part is revealed as the former granary with stone steps up to a French casement. Door below this, and a plain 2-light casement on either floor.  

The main entrance is into the kitchen in the possibly C18 wing. The kitchen has a double hearth which was added to the rear of the original stack, one arched in neatly cut stones and probably C19, and the other with a monolith lintel and probably C18; oven with iron door. Plain late ceiling beams, also in the probable dairy which was converted to the Dining Room in 1979. To the right of the entrance lobby is the original gable entry into the c1600 house. The ground floor of this is divided into two rooms, but not by an original post-and-panel partition. The outer room has chamfered ceiling beams and joists with ogee stops. The fireplace wall has apparently early C18 panelling with a cyma recta shelf and an iron fireback dated 1677. Some of this panelling is C20 repairs and replacements. To the right of the fireplace is a reconstructed semi-spiral firestair, this was possibly not present when the list description was last revised in 1980. The inner room also has chamfered beams and joists with ogee stops, but the rear section of the roof is not so decorated and this suggests two rooms, possibly a private room and a pantry, which would be entered through separate doors in an oak partition as still survives at the nearby Persondy (qv). A modern door from the inner room leads to the 1990s extension. The principal feature upstairs is the large cruck truss which demonstrates the raising of the roof. The blades are trenched for extremely large purlins. The apex of the truss can be seen in the roof space where it joins well below the present ridge line.  

Included as a probably early C17 farmhouse which, despite considerable alteration and extension, retains several important features and good historic character.