81871

 

II  

Designated  

06/06/1962  

30/09/2003  

Porth Mawr gateway, lodge, walls and railings at Llantarnam Abbey  

 

Torfaen  

Llantarnam  

Cwmbran  

Llantarnam Abbey  

330421  

192755  

 

On the SE side of Newport Road some 150m SW of its junction with Llantarnam Park Way.  

 

 

Tudor style main gateway and lodge to Llantarnam Abbey, dated 1836, by T.H. Wyatt, for R.J. Blewitt.  

Gateway and lodge, Bath stone ashlar large square battlemented gate tower with low single-storey lodge to left. Gate tower has asymmetrical front with big segmental-pointed carriage arch to right and lower narrow pedestrian entry to left, also segmental-pointed, with conjoined hoodmoulds. Left angle has diagonal 2-step buttress, right angle has octagonal corner pier with narrow loop to front face. String course under battlements carried around right corner pier. Battlements have moulded coping and big panel with carved shield over main entry, the head stepped above battlement each side. Carved scrolls on battlements to left and right, the longer left scroll inscribed Porth Mawr, the right scroll inscribed 1836. Small octagonal left finial, larger and much taller octagonal right finial with brattished top and carved stone eagle. Right side is also battlemented and has two openings similar to pedestrian gate but with low walls and without hoodmoulds, either side of centre big raking buttress, with grotesque carving in stringcourse above. Diagonal buttress and small octagonal finial at right corner (left corner of rear) Rear has part of lodge covering right side, such that carriage arch is central. Battlements and small octagonal corner finials. Taller centre battlement with shield. Double big timber gates in main arch with spearhead cresting, panelled lower third and open panels to upper parts with Gothic iron inserts. Within porch, ribbed vault with moulded ribs, fine carved head stops, two arches to right and two to left to pedestrian throughway. Pedestrian throughway has 2 ribbed vaults with carved head stops and leaf bosses separated by a Tudor arch. First bay has square-headed 6-panel studded door and second a 2-light window, both in chamfered surrounds. Lodge to left is L-plan. Short low ashlar front wall with string course under parapet, shouldered coped end gable with external chimney and one castigated terracotta pot. Slate roofs. Front 3-sided bay with square-headed small-paned windows each side and centre door, all in chamfered surrounds. Rear wing facing drive beyond gate tower has similar parapet, and 3-light mullion window with deep hoodmould. Gable end with 2 narrow single lights with deep hoodmoulds under ashlar oriel of 1-2-1 lights, curved moulded base and moulded coping. Gable above is stepped with finial. Sidewall ashlar chimney with castigated terracotta pot. C20 extension attached. Entrance walls and railings: To right of gateway is short ashlar wall pierced with 3 rectangular openings with scrolled iron inserts and stone seat. From right end of this and left corner of gate tower extend serpentine-curved ashlar low walls with ornate iron low rails with scrollwork and quatrefoils between alternate spearhead and fleur-de-lys headed uprights. Outer tooled purple sandstone piers with octagonal curved caps.  

Not available for inspection.  

Included as a c19 Tudor style main gateway and lodge, group value with Llantarnam Abbey.