The Priory

Cadw's description

Location

Facing the S side of the priory church, entered by a drive through the gatehouse and surrounded by gardens.

History

Site of the priory building of the Benedictine Nuns. For two and a half centuries after the Suppression, the residence of the Jones family . C19 remodelling possibly incorporating and probably re-using a substantial amount of earlier masonry - contemporary account says it 'partly preserved its former style of architecture'. Built 1868 by J Nevill of Abergavenny, enlarged in 1894 by Veall and Sant of Cardiff. In C19 inhabited by a botanist, Rickard, who introduced some exotic trees. Some additions made C20. USA soliders billeted here during Second World War. Suffered severe fire damage in C20 and W wing remains roofless. Much displaced material safeguarded and stored by present owner. The amount of medieval material in the existing house is yet to be established

Exterior

Large house with C16-style detail. Built of stone, mostly rubble, part coursed, part tooled, with ashlar dressings; stone-tiled roof with kneelers, some sprocketed eaves; large stone ridge and lateral stacks with clustered angled corniced chimneys with decorative pots. Windows are very varied, with many 4-centred arched lights in rectangular stone frames, in multiples of two, three and four lights with hoodmoulds above; more elaborate windows to garden frontages with tracery and cusped heads. Glazing is mainly quarries set in iron frames. The building is large with complex plan and deliberately asymmetrical multi-gabled elevations. The W section is roofless following fire damage. The N elevation (from W) is a long range with two very large first floor windows with cusped heads to the multiple lights in two tiers divided by a transom. Ground floor windows are somewhat smaller: 4-light with moulded mullions to right and 3 pairs of 4-centred arched lights to left; similar window in gable above. Separating E and W sides is a low single storey probably added cross bay. To left of this, the E section has at left a projecting gable with multiple -light windows on each floor and small apex light; central section with similar smaller windows and a blocked Tudor-arched doorway. E-facing side elevation has a tall chamfered and stopped square headed doorway. Garden S facing elevation has at E end (right) a deeply projecting gable of tooled stone with a tall but shallow ground floor bay window 5-lights wide with quatrefoil parapet; above is a 4-light window under a shallow hoodmould; sundial above; apex light at top; all tall 4-centred arched lights. Central recessed section with smaller windows, then a less projecting gable with triple and quadruple 4-centred arched lights. An apparently added now roofless porch with Tudor arch with decorative spandrels stands in front of a tall narrow gable with small lights at different levels, perhaps a former staircase bay. To W are two parallel separately gabled cross wings with main outlook to W; the outer wing contributes also to the S frontage with a two-storey canted bay. The most elaborate windows of all are on the W elevation: that to right has a ground floor shallow bay window with deep hipped pitched roof and 5 long tall cusped lights; no windows above. The gable end to left has windows at 3 levels, the main one to first floor, an oriel type canted bay window, each face with a double cusped light and pierced tracery; a very deep sloping sill. Recessed linking bay with tall 3-light window with transom.

Reason for designation

An important part of the Priory complex, historically and visually, notwithstanding partly derelict condition. Group value with this and other listed buildings in Priory Street.