6732

 

II*  

Designated  

17/01/1963  

28/10/2005  

Aberllech  

 

Powys  

Maescar  

Brecon  

Pentrebach  

291116  

232816  

 

Situated some 300m SE of Pentrebach on E side of road to Sennybridge  

Domestic  

 

Later C18 gentry house of three storeys with rear wing and contemporary outbuildings. The house was probably built c1780 for David Watkins, High Sheriff in 1786, died 1802. Passed to his nephew David Lloyd of Blaenclydach, died 1826 then by to his son David Watkins Lloyd JP died 1865, noted huntsman, mayor of Brecon 1845, High Sheriff 1862. The smaller range to right was a bakehouse and brewhouse. There were 42 acres with the house on the 1842 tithe map, but the estate also had several farms in three parishes. In 1861 the house was occupied by D.W. Lloyd (unmarried), three unmarried sisters, one married sister, two nieces, one cousin and eight servants. Occupied by Morgan Morgan JP in 1920s and 1930s. Old photographs show a Victorian veranda on wooden posts, and that the doorcase had Ionic caps to the pilasters. The interior detail especially of the staircase and front room alcove has a characterful and unusual rustic quality.  

Country house, painted roughcast with slate roof and stuccoed corniced end wall chimneys. Small modillions to eaves cornice. Three storeys, three-window range with hornless sashes: 6-pane to top floor, 12-pane to first floor with slightly cambered heads. Ground floor has two fine Palladian-type tripartite windows with 4-pane side-lights and 12-pane main sash with radiating bars to arched head. Centre panelled door with radiating-bar fanlight set in timber doorcase with plain pilasters, entablature blocks and open pediment. Panelled reveals. Low basement opening in plinth. Windowless right end wall. Rear wing has painted stucco end stack, two 6-pane attic windows, two 12-pane first floor windows, not aligned with windows above but with door and window below. Door is in large C20 gabled porch.  

Plan of central hall with stairs in a stair tower, former parlour to left, dining-room to right (now sitting-room). Rear wing has service stairs behind front range and kitchen beyond with narrow dairy and pantry in rear outshut. Entrance hall has cornice with oak leaf and leaf moulding above, segmental hall arch has undercut moulding. Fine staircase of c1780 with continuous handrail, slim turned balusters, big scrolls on tread ends. To right of hall is 6-panel door with sunk panels to former dining-room with C19 inserted marble chimney-piece. On back wall is an unusual sideboard recess with elliptical arch on fluted pilasters with deep capitals of a lacy pierced fretwork with two upper scrolls. Panelled shutters and panelled reveals to window. The parlour to left of hall has inserted C19 marble fireplace, panelled shutters, and plaster ceiling cove along two sides with tiny scrolls and leaf moulding. To rear service stairs over cellar stairs. Kitchen has broad fireplace with stone voussoirs to arch, flat with curved angles. High ceiling with two big chamfered beams First floor landing has three 6-panel doors. Bedrooms each side have simple Adam style chimneypieces. Fielded panelled door to rear wing. Bathroom has oak beam, and bedroom, up steps, has two plastered beams. Rear stairs up to attic have closed string, square balusters and square newels. Rear room under outshut roof was wool room, with triple purlins. A small shelved room was a cheese room. Cellar is down 11 stone steps. Two stone-flagged rooms, one with wine bins, one with stone low shelf around.  

Graded II* as a remarkable example of a well-preserved gentry house in a remote location with good interior detail, in a group with outbuildings.