History

Gentry house, originally known as Pontfaen, late C17 to later C19, now subdivided and tenanted. In single ownership from the later C14 to 1823, passing by marriage to John Vaughan of Abergavenny before 1491, to Francis Laugharne in 1625, and in 1750 to Rowland Philipps of Orlandon. The house had 7 hearths in 1670, one of the largest in the region. It was tenanted in the C18 and early C19. Sold in 1823 to Henry Rees, again before 1845 to A. Gower of Castle Malgwyn, and in 1863 to Percy Arden, lawyer, of Sunbury Middlesex. It was apparently already altered or rebuilt when sold in 1863.
The present house appears to be a late C17 to early C18 L-plan house, with chamfered beams and oak roof trusses surviving in the S part, and with a N cross-wing added in the C19, but it is possible that this wing also is original. The windows were small-paned casements in moulded timber mullion or mullion-and-transom frames, but as all have been replaced in later C20 it is not clear whether they were all C19 or some were late C17. The big ashlar shafted chimneys look C19, but in siting suggest a late C17 house.

Exterior

House, painted render with slate eaves roofs, two storeys and attic. Crosswing at each end, both projecting on rear W. N cross-wing is gabled, S cross-wing is hipped both ends. Four large ashlar chimney stacks: triple-shafted on W end and S side of S crosswing, double-shafted on N and S sides of N crosswing. Single short stack on main ridge towards S end, another just forward of ridge towards N end. Main facade to E, but entrance on W.
E facade has 4 gables of varying sizes: largest to right, of N cross-wing, and then a dormer gable, a gable and a dormer gable, all with bargeboards and pendant finials. Windows are timber mullioned, the larger ones with transoms at mid-height, mostly later C20 replacements, with small panes on Plas Pontfaen, but not on Pontfaen Farmhouse.
Pontfaen Farmhouse occupies first two bays to left. Roof is hipped at SE angle, first bay has casement pair to both dormer gable and first floor, and 3-light mullion-and transom window below, and second bay has 3-light to larger gable, 4-light to first floor and two 3-light mullion-and -transom windows below. S side, former service entry, has massive external chimney breast with triple stack to right, 2 small dormers to left, 2 first floor windows and ground floor has 2 attached single-storey ranges enclosing service court, with hipped S ends. Door between ranges. All glazing is later C20: old photographs show 2-light windows of late C17 or early C18 type to first floor, on wallface, with leaded lights. W end of crosswing, to garden, has ground floor large lean-to with asbestos-sheet roof, windowless first floor and another very large triple chimney on eaves of hipped roof.
Plas Pontfaen occupies the right 2 bays of E front (with more scattered fenestration): left bay has 2-light in dormer gable, first floor 3-light and 2 small ground floor single casements, an intermediate bay has a first floor 2-light and a ground floor 2-light with transom, both set at higher level, corresponding with floor levels of big cross-wing gable to right which has 4-light mullion and transom window each floor. N end has 2-light mullion-and-transom window to ground floor right and large chimneybreast to left. Steps to basement. W side has cross-wing projecting to left with similar bargeboards and pendant: first floor 6-light mullion-and-transom window (4-light casement in old photograph), ground floor large canted bay with hipped slate roof and big 4-light mullion-and-transom window. S return has large 2-shaft chimney. Lean-to porch in angle shelters big flight of 6 slate steps up to door in rear wall of main range. Porch roof is late C20 copy of original: slate pent roof, flat ceiling within, open on 2 sides, on 3 cast-iron columns, each side with shallow timber arch and pendant. Cilgerran stone walls flank stairs, balustrade to S side. Broad 4-panel door with panelled reveals. To immediate right, set high, is big 4x3 light mullion-and-transom stair-light (leaded lights in old photograph). Rest of rear wall to right is windowless. Small dormer in centre of roof, shown in old photograph, now with C20 glazing.

Interior

Larger rooms are in Pontfaen Farmhouse at S end. SW kitchen has massive beam and C19 service staircase with closed string, turned balusters and newels with pendants. One long flight up and short return at right angles, then further flight up to attic with square balusters. Ground floor SE room has slate floor, 2 heavy chamfered axial beams with run-out stops. There was a large S end fireplace, now infilled. Steps down to cellar in NE corner of room, with wrought iron rails with dog bars. Slate-paved cellar with slate shelves. First floor sitting-room has 2 similar heavy axial chamfered beams. Board doors. Attic has 2 oak collar trusses, cased-in.
Plas Pontfaen has single flight C19 stair to right of entry, with turned balusters, closed string and ball-finials and pendants to newels. Two flights. Entrance hall runs through to W front window with fireplace. 4-panel doors. The two main rooms in cross-wing to left have C19 fireplaces and connecting doors. The two principal first floor rooms are also in the cross-wing, 4-panel doors, C19 detail. Crosswing loft has C19 pine trusses. Cellar is slate paved with kitchen range.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a substantial country house of Victorian external appearance but retaining features of late C17 to early C18 date.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29490325

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)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)