6738

 

II  

Designated  

17/01/1963  

16/02/2005  

Castell Madoc  

 

Powys  

Honddu Isaf  

Brecon  

Lower Chapel  

302460  

236878  

NE  

In extensive grounds on the NE side of the B4520 some 1.1 km N of Lower Chapel.  

Domestic  

 

Mansion with early and later C19 external character, but C16 origins, built 1588 for Thomas Powel, by the site of the castle built by Madoc ap Maenarch, ancestor of the family in C12. The first castle was a ringwork above the house, abandoned in the C13 for a motte which survives by the E entrance, and in the bailey of which the present house stands. The Powel family remained owners to the later C20. Hugh Powell was High Sheriff 1666 and 1712, Charles Powel, High Sheriff 1738, died 1796, his daughter died 1799, estate passed to the Rev. Hugh Price. Marked on 1839 Tithe map as owned by Hugh Price occupied by John Clay, with 374 acres. Hugh Price was High Sheriff 1815, H. Powel Price was High Sheriff in 1870. Hugh Penry Powel died 1910, Lt Cdr Charles Vaughan Powel RN in 1926. The house was a substantial three-storey L-plan building by the late C18, of five bays to the W and six to the S. The W range has the 1580 date plaque and a length of early C17 staircase balustrade, the S range a massive internal chimney, suggesting that the C17 building was of similar ground plan. The present deep-eaved hipped roof dates probably from the early C19 extended E c.1880. There is an early C19 view in the house of a 6-bay house with gable ended roof, but this may be inaccurate. The S front was extended by two bays to the E, with a big pedimented bay and another plain bay beyond, and new E entrance front, c.1880 (a drawing at the house dated 1874 shows house before addition). The interiors are mostly mid to later C19, but with cellar and length of stair rail in the W range of the C17 and window reveals in the same range of the earlier C18.  

Large painted roughcast and stucco classical mansion with slate hipped roof and roughcast corniced stacks. Deep eaves. Three storeys, L-plan with long eight-bay S front, five-bay W side, and two-bay E end entrance front. S front has big mid C19 pedimented projection in seventh bay, an addition, with the bay beyond. Top floor has square windows, 6-pane to six windows to left of projection, one 4-pane to right. First floor has plain four-pane sashes, only that to right with moulded C19 architrave. Ground floor has long C19 French windows to six left bays, and a 4-pane sash in moulded architrave to right of projection. Stone plinth, stone sills. Projection is as broad as two window bays. Deep-eaved pediment with roundel window, first floor with long alternating quoins, 4-pane sash in shouldered pedimented architrave, and sill band; chanelled ground floor with radiating voussoirs to big moulded arched French window with radiating-bar fanlight. Massive square ridge stack two bays from left and small stack just forward of ridge, to left of pedimented projection. W side of five bays is similar, hipped, with corniced ridge stack. Stone plinth. Stone sills. Six-pane hopper upper windows, blank in fourth bay, four-pane first floor sashes, centre one cambered headed with 1588 curved triangular stone plaque 'WPM ty nuedd TP 1588', blank fourth window. Ground floor has four long casement-pair windows, the second not aligned with windows above, and French window in fifth bay. N gable end is hipped with massive roughcast square external chimneybreast and tall corniced shaft, breaking eaves. Roof has shallower eaves to left of chimney. Two broad raised bands each side of chimney breast. Single-storey C19 addition to N with tall thin brick N stack, parallel rage to rear of main range to left with roof hipped to E and roughcast ridge stack. The E end has arched stair window in brick surround. E entrance front of two bays, c. 1880. Hipped roof, two attic windows, two plate glass first floor sash windows in architraves, and big pedimented porch, with plate glass sash in architrave to right. Porch has paired angle pilasters and moulded-arched doorway with pilasters paired in depth. Hardwood fanlight with radiating bars over paired half-glazed hardwood doors.  

Porch with doors into late C19 hall and small SE room. Hall has panelled dado and panelled ceiling. Two arches on W wall, one blank, one open into main axial hall, which has two similar arches on N to late C19 open well stairs. Stairs have moulded string, pine balustrades and turned newels with ball-finials. S rooms have mid to later C19 detail. Massive depth of chimney between SW room and dining-room to E. SW room has early C20 chimneypiece, mid to later C19 moulded cornice and C19 bookshelves. Dining-room has C19 cornice and marble chimneypiece with roundels in top corners. Centre ground floor room on W has some C18 fielded panels in window reveals. Beneath is C17 or earlier stone-vaulted wine-cellar with C17 door. Service stair at rear E of W range. First floor landing has three arches. Glazed C19 lantern over lobby between main stair and W service stair. Length of C17 balustrading to straight flight of service stairs running parallel to a thick wall that may be the original back wall of the W range. Closed string, turned thick balusters, square newel with Ionic cap under Jacobean style finial. First floor W room has Victorian neo-Tudor chimneypiece, but C18 fielded panelled window reveals.  

Included as a substantial country house of C16 origins, externally late Georgian and later C19 in character.