History

House probably C16 encased and extended in brick, the front gable dated 1726 with initials of Henry Whittingham, bailiff of Montgomery. It was owned from the C18 by the Humphreys family of Bank House, referred to in will of Charles Gardiner Humphreys died 1787, when left to his son of the same name. Deed of 1801 refers to Mary Lloyd (1724-1803), widow of William Lloyd of the tannery, as at Clawddydre. Marked on 1833 map as owned by Charles Gardiner Humphreys, occupied in 1839 by Mary Jones. Occupied in 1880 by Thomas Price. Restored with additions in late C20 for David Morris. The house stands on a bluff overlooking an important corner of the town walls. The bank at the foot of the garden has some curved masonry that may be part of a bastion.

Exterior

Detached house, brick and timber frame with slate roof,projecting eaves and brick chimneys. Two storeys and attic, three-bay front with central red brick projecting gable and whitewashed brick side bays with raised band. Multi-paned iron cross-windows with cambered heads, in both first floor outer bays and ground floor left. Modern small-paned sash window to ground floor right, and right end wall. Central porch has wide doorway with moulded frame with 'HW: 1726' carved in tympanum flanked by crude stylised plants. Double doors of three fielded panels each. Raised band above. Cross-window to first floor, raised band above and lunette with radiating tracery to attic. Cross-window with leaded glazing on N return, ground floor.
S end wall is slate-hung with long attic window and 16-pane sash to first and ground floors. N end gable has iron cross-window to attic, two to first floor and one to ground floor right. To left is attached a small two-storey wing of earlier C18 date, one-room plan. N end has a brick shaped gable (like that at Old Castle Farm) and an iron casement-pair to first floor, with cambered head. Road front has a blank opening above a late C19 to early C20 rectangular bay window with casement lights.
NE rear wing has timber-frame exposed in N wall and brick chimney rising from single-storey 1989 addition in red brick with shaped N gable and door matching 1726 front door, marked DJM 1989. Brick E gable of wing has cambered-headed casement pair with raised brick sill to attic, above a small Venetian window of four casements with iron opening lights and glazed arch over centre two. Raised band over ground floor two casement pair windows. Rear of main house is timber-framed with posts exposed in first floor brickwork and has single-storey C20 parallel range with parallel roof. Late C20 conservatory.

Interior

Porch has iron bar to back of door. S room has very three heavy beams, chamfered with run-out stops and squared joists. Panelled shutters to W and S windows, and two painted C18 arched alcoves set diagonally in corners, with curved shelves and ribbed heads. Chimneypiece probably earlier C20.
Four-panel door into N room. N room has inglenook type recess on S wall panelled with oak panels with a lozenge type pattern found on the screen gates in the church. Some of the panels may be genuine C16 work, most are probably late c19 made to match. Fireplace has shouldered surround and C19 tiles. An oak panelled door of eight panels with scribed mouldings in C17 style leads into small N addition. HL type wrought iron hinges. Deep plastered opening between front and rear, perhaps a former inglenook. Rear staircase is earlier C19 with square balusters, turned newel and ramped rail, made of an unusual wood, said to be sycamore. Heavy timber-framing exposed in rear walls of front range, now internal with diagonal bracing. NE kitchen has framing exposed on W wall and fireplace on N. SE added room has timber-lintel to fireplace and screen to late C20 conservatory with re-used linenfold panelling of high quality and traceried heads to openings.
First floor has heavy timber-framing to rear of front range, and to NW wing. Passage between NW and NE parts has heavy framing on E side, scribed plank door on W. Cross-window at end of passage has pane scribed 'Ivor Jones Glazier Montgomery', and NW room has various signatures on outside of panes. Massive timber-framing on S wall. S room has C18 fielded panelling on N wall chimneybreast, C19 marble chimneypiece, and chamfered and stopped axial beam.
Roof trusses have collars and angled struts above. Evidence for roofs having been raised.

Reasons for Listing

Included at grade II* as a substantial town house with significant surviving timber-framing of C16-C17 date, good external cahracter of the early C18, and some good interior detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17741888

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)