Pendre, including wall to yard, Pontarfynach, Ceredigion

History

Mid C19 to later C19 farmhouse for the Hafod estate farm. Not marked on 1847 Tithe map but described in 1855 sale so probably dating from the time of Sir Henry de Hoghton, owner 1845-55.
Thomas Johnes built a bailiff's house on this site before 1803. He had a crescent-shaped farmyard by 1794 including a fattening-house, cow-house and dairy, and barns for hay and oats. In 1803 Malkin first refers to a house when he mentions houses of the bailiff and gardener 'aspiring to some elegance', which may refer to Pendre (or the nearby Hawthorn Cottage) and Pencreigiau. After the New Farm was built at Gelmast, Johnes wrote 'my late farm I divided last year... the farmyard is pulled down to make new offices for the tenants in various parts'. This implies reuse of building materials. In the 1832 sale catalogue the reference to Pendre House is probably to Hawthorn Cottage, there is no mention of another house. On the 1834 map the present Hawthorn Cottage is called Pendre Isaf with 9 acres, but Pendre Uchaf was named as a house with no land let to W. Hughes. The map suggests that the barn was there, while dotted lines on the other three sides of the yard suggest buildings gone or proposed. To NE is a small square building perhaps Pendre Uchaf. Another small building is at SW corner. After 1835 the Pendre yard was used for workshops for the building work: in 1837 a letter from S. Heath, the Duke's contractor, says that the best site for a saw mill was on the W side, near the SW angle, the deal-shed should be on the same side, the workshop on the N side and a shed for long ladders scaffolding etc. near the entrance gates. The woodman's shed was on the S side and the remainder would be very useful for stores etc.. It would appear that the Duke was responsible for the square of farm buildings and possibly the building by the gate, but the E side barn is not mentioned, possibly because it remained from Johnes' farmyard.
In the 1841 census there were two families at Pendre and eight men at 'Hafod workshop, Pendre'. By the 1847 Tithe map Pendre Isaf had become Hawthorn Cottage and Pendre Uchaf was Kennels House, let to James Scott. It is not certain who built the kennels or where. There were no residents by 1851. In the 1855 sale Hawthorn Cottage is mentioned, near which 'is the Home Farmyard consisting of barn, stabling, bullock-houses, piggeries etc.: some of these ... appropriated for the lodgings and shops for workpeople employed at the mansion'. Next is listed a head-keeper's house and kennels, 'a short walk from the mansion ... also built recently .. large, substantial and highly ornamental, with elaborately carved gables and finials, all finished in the best manner'. This may be the present farmhouse.
In 1861 Pendre House was occupied by Charles McArthur, forester and family. At the 1864 proposed sale Wiliam Dickson was tenant. By the proposed sale of 1870 Pendre had become the principal farmhouse with 4,741 acres, let to T. W. Richardson and was called a 'capital modern farmhouse containing three sitting rooms, kitchen, dairy, larder, four bedrooms with stabling for four horses, loft over, harness room, cow-house and dog-kennels. There is no mention of a barn or other farm/workshop buildings. After the Waddinghams bought Hafod in 1872 the house became the agent's house, John Oliver there in 1881, John Watson in 1891. A letter of 1885 shows that the Pendre buildings were still workshops. The four-sided yard is marked on the 1888 OS, the S and W sides had gone by 1905. In the 1947 sale Pendre was described as a house with six bedrooms and offices, and excellent buildings including cowshed for ten... stable, garage, loosebox, workshop, cartshed, large barn, calfhouses etc..

Exterior

Farmhouse, rubble stone with grey ashlar dressings, slate deep-eaved roof with fretted bargeboards and wooden spike finials with pendants. Long N-S range, the upper end with two large rendered chimneys on W roof slope, single to left, pair to right, each with square base, inset square shafts and stepped out square tops. Flush grey ashlar quoins and window surrounds. N-S main range is in two parts, in line. Upper N end has a single-storey central short wing at right angles each side making a cross plan. S end is slightly narrower with lower ridge (continuous stonework and eaves line on W wall). Single storey dairy range runs E from S end.
N gable end has renewed casement pair over triple casement, flush rusticated grey ashlar surrounds with voussoirs and slate sills. W side has 2 small square first floor windows, one each side of ridge of short W porch wing. This has plain bargeboards, flush quoins, casement pair in ashlar surround to W. To right, W side of S end has two first floor windows in grey stone surrounds, one casement pair, one blank. Attached to SW angle is high S wall of a walled SW courtyard. Walls with slate coping, the W wall sloped down from SW corner. Narrow S end gable has plain bargeboards, first floor casement pair with rough stone voussoirs and ground floor inserted C20 broad glazed doors.
E side of N end has similar gabled projection with E gable with flush quoins, casement pair in ashlar surround and plain bargeboards. Door to N. Casement pair in ashlar surround each floor to left.
Single storey dairy range runs E from S gable end. Rubble stone with slate eaves roof and C20 glazing. S side has windows with rough stone voussoirs: casement pair and blocked door to left of gabled porch which has the door on the left side wall and a window in a former door on the right side. To right of porch, a casement pair each side of a door set closer to right window. Low walls, formerly railed to court in front. Rear N has rendered wing on left with stone square stack (like those on house) on ridge, and window, door and window to right.

Interior

Interior not inspected.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a substantial mid C19 estate farmhouse in simplified Tudor style.

External Links

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