History

Bradney records that Pentwyn was historically the "small property and residence" of the Vaughan family, a branch of the Vaughans of Llanrothal. When James Vaughan died in 1834, he left it to his nephew George Vaughan Maddox, the architect, who "having much improved it" sold it to the Rev Harding in 1864. In fact, Maddox died in 1864. George Vaughan Maddox (1802-1864) was the architect of the Priory Street improvements in Monmouth in the 1830s, including the Market Hall and Shambles, as well as the Wesleyan chapel, and many other houses "in a style deft, (and) cultured" (Newman). He worked also at The Hendre for the Rolls family.

According to Bradney, under Canon Harding’s ownership the house underwent "immense improvements, and from being not more than a villa has become one of the most comfortable and well-kept residences in the county".
Inspection suggests that Bradney exaggerated the contribution of Canon Hardwick. The exterior of the house is predominantly earlier in style, and ground floor interiors including doorcases and fireplaces in a Georgian style with Gothick details suggest a late Georgian date with the exception of the dining room (said to date from 1904) in late Victorian/Edwardian taste. A wing on the SW side of the house was demolished in the 1950s, but the house is still very much as in Bradney’s photograph.

Exterior

Large house. Two storeys plus attics. Stucco, slate roofs; fancy bargeboards. Asymmetrical entrance front faces NW. From L, a gabled bay, with attic and first floor mullion and transom window, on ground floor, a projecting shallow-gabled bay window with 4-light mullion and transom window. To R, a small first floor window, then small gable with slit window above first floor mullion and transom window under hoodmould; single-storey porch with shallow gable, and Tudor-arched doorway with boarded doors with decorative hinges. Off-centre to R is projecting gabled block with small attic window, first floor oriel window, and on ground floor, 3-light mullion and transom window under hoodmould. To again, a narrow gable with slit window, first floor mullion and transom window under hoodmould, and on ground floor, 2 similar, but narrow windows. To R, NW elevation has 3 first floor windows, and on ground floor, under modern portico, a simple Georgian type round-headed doorway with overlight. Other openings altered. Rear return of this wing has two gables, small windows to attics, mullion and transom windows to first and second floors, but to L, projecting bay window with balcony above. Return to R, has on first floor, a blind window, then a mullion and transom window, then a projecting bay window; on ground floor, a mullion and transom window under hoodmould.
At right angles, a bay window with detailing similar to front porch. To R, rear gabled end of SE wing has very deep bracketed "Swiss Cottage" type eaves over smaller gable of projecting first floor window, below this, projecting bay window with balcony above. SE elevation has unusual projecting and bracketed chimney with twisted stack; to R of this, a small gable with first floor mullion and transom window; on ground floor, a 3-bay glazed loggia (formerly open ?).
Projecting gable end of front block has attic window, and two-storey square bay window with mullion and transom windows and heraldic shields between floors.

Interior

The principal ground floor rooms are mainly "Georgian Gothic" instyle. Hall with Gothick arch, staircase. Panelled ceilings. Georgian type doorcases with Gothic detailing; similar fireplaces. Dining room in style of circa 1900 has ceiling beams, deep frieze with swags, deep Gothic fireplace.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as a house of several periods showing early interest in the Gothic style, and with particularly good "Georgian Gothic" interiors in the principal ground floor rooms. Particularly interesting as the house of George Vaughan Maddox, locally important architect of the high quality early C19 town improvements in Monmouth.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Pentwyn at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17743989

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)