Penybont & Glanyrafon, including forecourt wall

Cadw's description

Location

In Llangurig, to the E of the church, at the side of the by-road that runs S along the Wye Valley; immediately below the junction with the main A44. Penybont fronts the road and Glanyrafon is at right angles.

History

Dated 1907. Built to the designs of W A S Benson of London, a leading figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, principally known for his decorative metalwork to which craft he turned under the inspiration of William Morris. Although Benson trained first as an architect, this pair of houses and coach-house at Llangurig is one of only a small number of buildings that he designed - these include alterations to Burne-Jones's house at Rottingdean.

Benson was commissioned to build these houses, on the site of a former chapel, by Mrs Myforwen Lloyd-Verney of Clochfaen, Llangurig (also said to be by Benson). The Lloyd-Verney's probably got to know him from their London estates which were in the vicinity of Benson's New Bond Street offices. Llangurig was developed by the family in the manner of an estate village.

Penybont and Glanyrafon were later converted from estate cottages into the local Police Station and more recently back into domestic use. Penybont is largely unaltered but Glanyrafon has modern fenestration and extension.

Exterior

Distinctively Arts and Crafts one-and-a-half-storeyed house. Stone built with some concrete dressings; slate roof, overhanging eaves and stone chimney stacks. The 3-bay front has projecting central gable which is asymmetrical and swept down to the L in the style of C F A Voysey; the gable is dated 1907 with the initials MLV. Small-pane casement glazing, with central transoms, including 3-light windows to the centre. The main entrance is offset beneath the gable. A cambered arch and hoodmould with splayed R-hand jamb opens onto the porch flanked by small hall windows, the R-hand of which is set at an angle within the splay; boarded door. Smaller, slate-hung attic gables to either side. Left-hand gable end has a similar 2-light window to each storey and was previously asbestos-tile-hung. Two-window R-hand gable end with small 4-pane windows, beyond which is a stone wall at a skewed angle connecting with the coach-house and containing a round arch that leads through to the rear of the properties. At the rear of Penybont is a lean-to at L end and 2 flat-headed dormers to R; modern porch added. Between this and the neighbouring property is a traditional post and paling fence. Glanyrafon is attached at right-angles at the S end and its front elevation steps forward from the L gable end of Penybont; this part of the group has been modernised with new glazing and an extension at the W end.

Forecourt wall: Penybont is set back behind a contemporary forecourt wall that is stepped up the slope and runs along the main front and R-hand gable end; to the L it turns to meet the central gable and then starts again beyond the L gable end forming a boundary with the forecourt of Glanyrafon. This wall has a stone base with concrete coping, above which is laid a timber balustrade punctuated by stone piers. Timber gates at main entrance and beside the coach-house.

Interior

Penybont retains its original simple Arts and Crafts character including the ironwork detail to the windows and boarded doors; moulded architraves and brick fireplaces. Entrance is onto a small hallway from which rises the central timber staircase; behind this the flanking ground floor rooms have broad recesses, that to the L is lit by a small window. Upstairs, one room has an angled fireplace (now blocked) and another retains a cupboard built into the side of the gable.

Reason for designation

Listed as a pair of houses conceived as a unified design in a distinctive Arts and Crafts idiom, and a rare example of the architecture of W A S Benson. Penybont is exceptionally well-preserved. Group value with the former Coach-house.