Penmyarth

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 500m WNW of Glanusk Bridge on raised ground overlooking Glanusk Park.

History

C18 house remodelled early C19 with the addition of NW followed by a NE wing. In 1831 Penmyarth was bought by Joseph Bailey who incorporated it into Glanusk Park, a set piece built by Robert Lugar on land purchased by Bailey in 1825. The house was subsequently used by the agent of the Glanusk Estate, created in the 1840s largely out of enclosed common land.

Exterior

Regency-style house rendered and painted white, consisting of a main range with parallel NE and NW wings behind. The 2-storey main range is the C18 house remodelled C19. It faces the garden and is 3-bay under a hipped roof. The roof has swept, boarded eaves projecting on brackets, stone tiles (with slate to rear slope) and tall stacks L and R. In the upper storey are 16-pane hornless sashes. In the lower storey are tripartite sashes L and R, with C19 three-quarter-lit door in the centre flanked by glazed panels and with an overlight incorporating radial glazing. A veranda has paired Doric columns and moulded entablature (with small-pane glazed panels to the returns).

The C19 entrance front faces E where the 2-storey NE wing is lower and has slate roof and central ridge stack. The end wall of the main range is 2-window with 12-pane horned sashes. In the NE wing the entrance is to L with service rooms to R separated by a high forecourt wall. Doorway to L has fluted pilasters and a canopy carried on console brackets. The door is 6-panel beneath an overlight with small-pane glazing in lozenge patterns. Flanking windows have architraves, small-pane glazing and incorporate a top-hung casement with radial glazing. Further R are a pair of narrow horned sash windows, beyond which, separated by a wall, are 2 tripartite sash windows facing a yard. In the upper storey are 4 similar tripartite windows. (At the end of the NE wing is a late C19 2-storey gabled projection incorporating service rooms. Further service rooms are in lean-tos behind the wings.)

The L side wall of the main range has double hip with sash window above a glazed door with glazed flanking panels to L. To R is a similar 12-pane sash window in the lower storey. A narrow recessed bay, with sash windows incorporating radial glazing and a circular attic window, is between main range and NW wing. The NW wing is two-and-a-half storey with 3 windows. Hipped roof dormers have 2-light casements with small pane glazing. In the upper and lower storeys are tripartite sash windows to centre and L. To R are paired 9-pane sash windows in upper storey and French doors flanked by glazed panels below.

Interior

Not inspected at time of survey (August 1997).

Reason for designation

Well-preserved Regency-style house prominently sited in Penmyarth Park, and an integral component of the surviving buildings on the Glanusk Estate.