Penylan

Cadw's description

Location

Situated down drive from formal entry some 400m NE of Llechryd Water Works, on E side of lane to Neuadd Cross from A 484.

History

1852-54 mansion by Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury. A mid C18 house of the Makeig family was on the site, owned from 1824-44 by Rev. John Jones, brother of Morgan Jones of Cilwendeg, Pembs. Morgan Jones of Penylan (1830-1905), son of Rev. John Jones, inherited 1844, and demolished old house 1852. The interiors were extensively redecorated c1900 by Morant & Co of London. Painting by A. Ludovici Jr of London. Sold 1905.

Exterior

Painted stucco with hipped slate roofs, and corniced Cilgeran stone 3-shaft stacks (formerly with smaller triple shafts above). Large scale two storeys and three to rear. Square pl;an, two main fronts, six-window W entrance front, five-window S garden front. Rusticated angle quoins, Cilgeran stone plinth, first floor and eaves cornices, first floor with plain frieze, eaves cornice with big scrolled console brackets in frieze. Stucco window surrounds with bracketed sills.
Entrance front is of 2-2-2 bays with slight hipped centre projection and two ridge stacks. Big 6-pane windows in earned architraves to outer bays, centre has first floor quoins, and two arched windows with pilaster frames, moulded arches and keystones. Centre ground floor has big projecting 3-bay porch, with pilasters, entablature, and balustrade with panelled piers. Arched window each side of big arched doorway with double door and big fanlight. Moulded arches, console keystones, and side pilasters to all three openings. Slate stepsup.
S garden front is of 1-3-? bays, the centre three a hipped canted bay. Similar detail, upper outer windows in earned architraves, centre three arched, ground floor 3-6-3-pane tripartite sash each side with pilasters, cornice and centre pediment on consoles, windows of canted bay have corniced architraves, curved pediment to centre window. Two ridge stacks.
E side has similar two-window range to left, earned architraves, and three simpler bays to right, three-storey, under same roofline. Two ridge stacks. A small rear courtyard is enclosed by a three-sided two-storey rubble stone hipped service range with sashes in brick surrounds. Probably formerly stuccoed as W side has stucco architraves. Rear has off-centre gable.

Interior

Stone-paved entrance hall: bracket cornice, stencil decoration, elaborate doorways with scrolled pedimented frames, imitation marble skirting, stencilled Greek-key fretwork and sprays on arch jambs to stair-hall. Top lift stair-hall, stencilled lantern, cantilever stone stair with iron rails, ceiling cornice. Arched landing with marble balustrading. Drawing room with white marble or alabaster fireplace, tall overmantle mirror, gilded pelmets. Walls papered green with gold stars. Elaborate cornice, trompe-l'oeil strapwork ceiling border. Carved and painted baroque pediments to doors, stencilled architraves as in hall, painted neo-classical floral designs on panels. Music Room has fine plaster panelling with floral decoration to narrow panels, damask paper to main panels. Alabaster fireplace, stencilled doorcases. Ceiling with painted panel of cherubs, outer oval of dense floral decoration, plaster roses at ends, scrollwork and fruit in spandrels. Ballroom has painted decoration, 1864 date on doorcase, trompe l'oeil scrollwork, painted plaster vine-scroll. Ceiling panels outlined with stencil patterns. Stencil patterns to arch to inner bay, which has curved doors. Moulded ceiling rose, coloured cornice. In panels of first floor arcade are Italianate landscapes signed Miranda Mott 1958, alternated with C19 floral panels.

Reason for designation

An exceptional interior with fine mid c19 stair-hall and good decorations of c1900, of a type most unusual in S.W. Wales.