Plough and Harrow PH, including front garden walls

Cadw's description

Location

Immediately to the south-west of Church Farm in the centre of Monknash village.

History

The north-east part of the building, that to the right of the entrance, is an early C17 two unit lobby entry house which has had a C19 rear outshut added; and on the south-west, in line, another room was added, possibly early in the C18, when the whole building was refurbished into its present central lobby-entrance appearance. The main building has been very little changed since the C19 and retains its original character of small, randomly placed windows, even though the features have been replaced. It is unknown when it became a public house.

Exterior

Local rubblestone walls, the front elevation with painted roughcast cladding, Welsh slate roof. Two storeys, four bays but the upper windows are not arranged above the lower ones, timber casements with small panes. The front elevation of the older northern wing with battered base; from left hand, C19 to C20 lean-to porch with slate roof in front of 6-panel door; 2-light casement with, to right hand, single light casement; two 2-light casements on first floor. South-west portion set back slightly with one 2-light casement on the ground floor. The rear pitch of the north wing has been raised, see the north-east gable; three stone stacks, to both gables and to left hand of centre, this last with modern brick capping. Modern single storey lean-to on south-west gable.
Rear elevation not seen at resurvey.
Concrete path flanked by cobble setts leads to the porch. The front garden is in two section divided by this path and each is surrounded by stone rubble walls. The north boundary, however, is formed by the rear wall of the Outbuildings at Church Farm (qv).

Interior

Entered by a vestibule with ledged doors, the original lobby entry against the hall stack, but now also broken through to the left into the added room. North-east ground floor room (main bar) with two massive round stopped and chamfered beams on either side of a replacement one; fireplace with deep chimneybreast and a bread oven, flanked to right by fireplace stairs with stopped and chamfered arched staircase doorway with ledged door. This room was the Hall, originally divided so as to have an unheated inner room. South-west room plainer, with a simple joist ceiling. Upper floor not seen at resurvey.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a C17 and C18 house of handsome appearance which has additional historic interest as a long standing village inn.