Park Lodge Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

In the Brecon Beacons National Park above the town on the north situated within the medieval deer park.

History

The history of this house is uncertain in that it has long been a single farmhouse for a large farm but it could well have been two separate houses or it could have been for an extended family with semi-independence. It is by repute the home of the warden of the surrounding deer park, which is of medieval origin and supposedly owned by Abergavenny Priory, but the existing buildings were probably constructed by the Somerset family, later Dukes of Beaufort, who were granted much monastic land in Monmouthshire by Henry VIII after the Dissolution. The present house appears to be C17 in origin, but it has been considerably altered and added to and is difficult to interpret. The most westerly section is perhaps a single depth two unit C17 house with one heated room. The eastern section is probably C18 and is the addition of a kitchen or dairy with bedroom over to the existing house. The whole was altered and given outshuts in the C19 and has been further altered in the late C20.

Exterior

The house is built of local random rubble sandstone which is wholly painted over, Welsh slate roofs, stone and brick stacks. The house is in two sections (see History) with different rooflines, being stepped down the hill from west to east.
The western section is the older. This has two windows and a door below, all replacement features, and three windows above, likewise. Steeply pitched roof with rubble stack on the ridge at left centre and a later brick stack on the right gable. The rear elevation has two small upper windows above an outshut.
The eastern section has two replacement casements under oak lintels to the ground floor with a modern porch and door to right, this is built of rubble with a slated canopy with boarded cheeks, above are two more casements. Fairly steeply pitched roof. The red brick stack to the left gable (see above) was probably put in when this section of the building was converted to domestic use. The windows in both sections are mostly plastic double-glazed units. The rear elevation of this section has a lean-to outshut covering the wall to the eaves except for a small part of the east end which has a small window.
The east gable meets the Barn and Cowshed (qv).

Interior

The interior of the western section has a direct entry hall with fireplace and firestair to upper room, which has a principal rafter roof. The unheated inner room was probably once the dairy. There has been considerable alteration.
The eastern section now has the farm kitchen on the ground floor, but this may have originated as a larger dairy for the developed farmstead. There is an apparently C17 chamfered beam with lamb's tongue stops, but this is probably reused. The upper floor, probably a bedroom from the start, has a light scantling principal rafter roof with two tiers of purlins.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well preserved Monmouthshire upland farm of traditional appearance and planning which is situated in an historic deer-park.