History

Early C18 gentry house possibly incorporating parts of a house of 1623. From Howel Gawr, owner in 1342, the house passed in direct descent to the Griffith family who owned it until 1756. G. W. Griffith (1584-1654), historian and genealogist, rebuilt the house in 1623. His support for the Parliament in the Civil War led to unspecified damage. The house had 6 hearths in 1670. It is likely that Robert Griffith (d1737), the last male heir, rebuilt it in its present form in the early C18. The early C18 staircase detail is repeated in Glanduad Fawr nearby, which has a panelled room apparently similar to lost panelling at Penybenglog. In 1828 owned by John Hughes of Alltlwyd, Cardiganshire, who made some repairs. In 1946 bought by T.S. Wilson Esq for whom the collapsing S pine end was rebuilt in brick, by H. Williams & Ptnrs, architects, Cardigan.

Exterior

Unpainted render over rubble stone with slate roofs and N end stone stack. S end stack was removed c1946 when pine-end was rebuilt. Two storeys and attic, four-window range, formerly a regular five-window range, but left bay obscured by added NW wing. Rear staircase wing. W front has 3 eaves-breaking 9-pane sashes under dormer gables with C19 fretted bargeboards. Four first floor original early C18 12-pane sashes with thick glazing bars, ground floor three 12-pane sashes and door in second bay. C19 slate sills. Early C18 door has unusual panelling, 4 fielded and diagonal cross. Mid C19 slated gabled timber porch with bulbous columns, cusped bargeboards echoed in trusses within. To left a single-storey wing runs forward with W end stone stack. Whitewashed W end has plaque `J. Hughes Esq Rebuilt 1828 Wm Lewis Tenant', that may refer to this wing only. W door is very important survival, presumably the reset main door of the 1623 house. Big oak lintel has ovolo moulding with run-out stops and incised panels with raised figures `16' to left, `GGM' to centre (for George and Mary Griffith), and `23' to right. Door frame is heavy oak with two ovolo mouldings and eroded but elaborately carved motifs at feet. Plank door. Whitewashed N side has mostly C20 windows and a loft door breaking eaves, the roof continued as lean-to against main house N wall and hipped at NE angle to join rear outshut. Main house N gable has loft light. Main house S end wall of 1946 is red brick with tripartite sash windows to upper floors and canted bay below. Previously it was windowless.
Rear right roof is outshut, wall rebuilt in red brick, rear left has 1946 brick chimney. Rear centre large gabled rubble stone stair projection with 6-pane sash above and 9-pane fixed window below. Red brick in NE angle.

Interior

Hall and right room now one. Panelled shutters, 2-panel doors, two beams. There was a large cellar beneath, said to be of an earlier house, either of 1623 or earlier still, infilled 1946, and there was some panelling with a shell-cupboard. Ground floor left room has ovolo-moulded beam, possibly C17, and fireplace with timber lintel. Cupboard in blocked window.
In stair tower to rear is fine early C18 dog-leg stair with shallow treads, closed string, turned balusters and square newels. String has round (pulvinated) moulding. Beneath stair are stone steps to infilled cellar. Indications under stairs of line of earlier stairs. First floor 2-panel doors. Attic pegged oak collar trusses, the collar in left room chamfered to curve.

Reasons for Listing

One of the oldest continuously occupied sites in North Pembrokeshire, and a well-preserved gentry house of the early C18.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29496604

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)