Scotsborough House Ruins

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of a roofless and ruinous single-storey hall house complex of undefended character, which probably dates from the fourteenth century. It is located on the N side of the Ritec Valley immediately W of the town of Tenby. Built as a seat of the Perrot family, it transferred to the Rhys family in the late sixteenth century. It comprised originally a medieval hall with its dais end to the E and screens passage to the W. Beyond the screens passage was a contemporary service cross-wing (the West Range). Although fragmentary and altered by its later conversion into cottages, the early N gable of this wing survives to full height. As the house developed, extensions were added on to the S side. The earliest, of probable medieval date, was the solar wing raised over a vaulted undercroft on the E side (the Tower House). It was accessed via stairs from the hall and featured a hearth and chimney-stack. The West Range was also extended to the S with a latrine turret. During the seventeenth century, the area between the West Range and Tower House became a yard and was enclosed by a crenellated wall on the S side with access gateway. Porches were added to the N and S entrances of the medieval hall. A stable block, now largely ruinous except for the W gable wall, was also added to the SW corner of the West Range. The house became a farmhouse in 1706 and was allowed to decay until its abandonment in 1824.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and later gentry-houses, particularly given its contrast with the usual semi-defended first-floor style of Pembrokeshire hall house. It is well preserved with many fine architectural features surviving and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, layout, building techniques and functional detail.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is roughly rectangular in shape on plan and measures 50m ENE-WSW by 35m transversely.