2688

 

II*  

Designated  

04/03/1952  

21/02/2002  

The White Hart P.H.  

 

Monmouthshire  

Llangybi  

Pontypool  

Llangybi  

337343  

196691  

 

At the crossroads in the centre of Llangybi village.  

Domestic  

 

Both sections of this building are probably C17 and the whole is probably 1600-1650 but built at different times. It gives the appearance of two independent houses abutting each other but an examination of the interior shows that they have been joined since very early on and were presumably built for a close family unit. Both wings have taller living quarters and a lower service end, those in the south wing being separated by a cross passage. The south wing could be of the period 1590-1610, perhaps heightened and with the north wing added in about 1625-40. The two wings are joined by a wide and fairly recent, ie. probably C20, opening on the ground floor and by doorways only on the first and second floors. The attic doorway has a shaped oak frame which suggests that the link between the houses could well go back to the beginning. The north wing service range was reconstructed in the C19 and given a granary floor above, and both wings have been given further extensions in the C20. Its use as a hotel has done something to harmonise the whole but the evidence does seem to suggest that the two houses have been linked from the start.  

The building is constructed entirely of whitewashed local stone rubble with Welsh slate roofs. It is part two storeys, part two storeys and attic and part three storeys; all being single depth. It consists of two houses set at right angles to each other, but only half overlapping at the gable. Each house then has an addition with a lower roofline attached to the far gable. The whole forms and impressive L-shaped ensemble. South wing: The south elevation of this has the three storey block to the left and a lower two storey one to the right. The left section has two 3-light lattice casements on the ground and first floors and another in a central gable above. All these windows are modern replacement reserved chamfer ones which may be an accurate reproduction of what was there before, but the surviving original windows in the various parts of the whole building are all ovolo moulded as might be expected from the building's probable date. Steeply pitched roof with a large stone chimney on the right gable for the ground floor fireplace and one with a diamond set flue on the left gable for the first floor room. This has a stack which is corbelled out on this gable wall and the gable has a 3-light window on the ground floor, a blocked 3-light one on the first floor and an original 2-light ovolo moulded one in the attic. To the right of this block is the lower range that has the plank door to the cross passage and two 3-light windows in the gabled dormer above. Steeply pitched roof with large, part C19, brick stack to the right gable. The rear elevation has the lower range on the left with a single storey kitchen extension abutting the gable end, 3-light windows on the ground floor and a large gabled dormer above. Modern glazed door to the cross passage entry. Modern single storey lean-to lavatory covers the ground floor of the main block which is also covered by the north wing. 4-light ovolo moulded window on the first floor. North wing: The street elevation has the tall block to the right and the lower one to the left. The house part has 3-light ovolo windows on the right gable ground and first floor. The street front has a 3-light ovolo window on the ground floor and a 4-light one above, both under oak lintels. Small stair window between floors to the left. Steeply pitched roof with rooflight, 2 flue stack to the left gable and single flue to the right, all diamond set. To the left is a lower altered wing with a glazed door and a 3-light casement on the ground floor and above a taking-in door in a gable, now converted to a window. To the left of this is a late C20 extension with a blind wall. The rear elevation of the main block has a replacement 3-light window in the ground floor and an original ovolo one above. The extension block has two cross framed casements below and two small 2-light casements above, all relatively modern. To the right is a doorway flanked by small windows to the modern single storey extension and this has three small windows in the gable end.  

South wing: The main room has two cross beams plus a beam with mortices for a missing post-and panel partition, combed plaster round the beams. Altered fireplace with oak lintel, glazed door to cross-passage on the left and stair to the right. The second floor has the doorway between the wings which has an oak frame and an elliptical head. This is certainly old, but has had alteration so its provenance is uncertain, see History. North wing: The main room has a stone firestair to the left of an altered fireplace, glazed door to right to the innor room. Two chamfered cross-beams with ogee stops. Ovolo mouldings to the windows on the front and end walls. Remains of combed plasterwork. Semi-cruck principal roof trusses.  

Included and highly graded as a specially interesting double house with fine character and many features. It also has group value in the centre of Llangybi village.