Porth-y-park

A.P.A.C. Ltd.

Archaeological Perspectives Analysis Consultancy

ARCHAEOLOGICAL

Written Scheme of Investigation

Level II Building recording BS/SGL/10

Porth-y-parc, Abergavenny. NP7 7HU

Brecon Beacons National Parks (planning)

Planning Application No: 10/05201/Ful

N.Phillips 09/12/10

DOCUMENT NO 127 Dec 2010

A.P.A.C. Ltd.

Archaeological Perspectives Analysis Consultancy

ARCHAEOLOGICAL

Report

Grade II, BUILDING RECORDING SURVEY

PORTH Y PARC FARM, LLWYN DU, ABERGAVENNY.

Planning Application No: BBNP 10/05201/FUL

Prepared for: Mr P. Little

By: Dr N Phillips.

A.P.A.C. Ltd Porth Y Parc Farm. BS/SGL/10

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Summary In Dec 2010, Dr N Phillips, A.P.A.C. Ltd was contacted by Mr P. Little, Porth y parc Farm in relation to a proposed scheme of works to be undertaken to a former dwelling at the above property The proposed scheme of works involves the extensions and renovation to a presently, derelict property. In order for the proposal to progress, the client was informed by Brecon Beacons National Parks Authority (planning), (BBNPA), of the need to engage an archaeologist to undertake a level 2 building survey. Following an onsite meeting A.P.A.C. Ltd was contracted to undertake the work. Dr Phillips, A.P.A.C. Ltd, undertook the survey in Dec 2010.


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Introduction

This report has been prepared by Dr Neil Phillips, A.P.A.C. Ltd, in response to a condition imposed on planning application: 10/05201, (BBNPA). The condition, recommended a Grade II building survey of the former dwelling at Porth Y Parc Farm, Llwyn Du, Abergavenny, NP7 7HU; prior to any work involved in its renovation (MON1835/JBHD). The former dwelling at NGR SO 2881 1672: location map fig 01, is not a listed building but is included in the Historic Environment Record (HER) 01947g, Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust, (GGAT) with possible associations to a medieval deer park, itself a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Cadw/ICOMOS.

This survey has been undertaken in line with guidance from Understanding Historic Buildings; A Guide to Good Recording Practice (English Heritage 2006). The methodology employed was also guided by the Standards and Guidance for the Archaeological Investigation and Recording of Standing Buildings or Structures (IFA 1996).

Background

The property; has a possible association with the medieval ‘Abergavenny Priory Deer Park’, in that it occupies a position that could have served as the southern entrance (MON1825/JBHD). The name itself Porth y Park translates to ‘gateway of the park’ and the dwelling itself is thought to be 17th century, (MON1825/JBHD) with an associated medieval barn (Cadw/ICIMOS). A structure with the same plan footprint as the present dwelling is shown on the 1st ed. Ordnance Survey map Fig 2. It is thought that the building was occupied until the mid 1970s when the owner ran a local milk round from it, pers com (Little 2010). Objectives The objective of the building survey was to produce a grade II record of the building in its present state prior to any work being undertaken. The record consists of annotated photographs, a phased ground plan and elevations and a written report. Methodology The building survey followed the methodology defined in 5.2, Understanding Historic Buildings; A Guide to Good Recording Practice (English Heritage 2006). The methodology employed was also guided by the Standards and Guidance for the Archaeological Investigation and Recording of Standing Buildings or Structures (IFA 1996, revised ed 2001). The photographic record of the property, BS/SLG/10, includes general views of the exterior, the overall appearance of principle structure and circulation areas, external and internal detail relevant to the properties’ design and development, and relevant contents. A digital survey was conducted of the ground floor of the property to annotate the floor plan; a scanned copy of which was supplied by the client NP2V1, Fig 3. It was not possible to enter the upstairs of the property as the structure was deemed unsound.


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The photographic survey was conducted using a digital camera mounted on a monopod. There was some problems with the equipment due to cold and lighting. Simple phasing was undertaken based on observable, constructional changes. This report also comprises a written element as defined in 4.5 Understanding Historic Buildings; A Guide to Good Recording Practice (English Heritage 2006). General description Fig 03 shows the layout of the floor plans with measurements taken during the survey. The plan itself originated with the client, (NP2V1), as a scanned image and was redrawn. The unusual alignments of the walls were not readily noticeable to the eye. Elevations of the property can be seen in fig 04, again taken from a plan submitted by the client and redrawn. The site consists of a two storey; stone built dwelling, with adjoining extension along the north east side, Plates 09668-09671, 09673, 09675-09678 & 09717-09719. The walls of the main house have an average thickness of 0.5m with some splay towards the bottom, Plates 09672, 09677, 09679 & 09716. The extension has walls of about 0.3m thickness, Plates 09681-09683. The main house has a ground floor with two rooms, one of which is raised and subdivided with a stud partition Plates 09687- 09692 & 09694. On the first floor are three rooms divided by lath and plaster walls, Plates 09697-09703. Both end rooms have doors whilst the middle space is open to the stairwell, Plates 09695 & 09707 which gives access from the living room below. The stair is of stone construction with two spiral sections, top and bottom, Plate 09695. The centre part of the stair, gives access to the loft in the extension building, Plate 09680. The ground floor has stone flags, Plates 09690 & 09693 whilst the upper floor is boarded, Plates 09702 & 09703. A extension building has been butted to the main house, Plates 09675-09678, possibly in two phases of building, figs 03 & 04, Plates 09675, 09681 & 09684. The space enclosed is two storeys but only half of the building has a first floor, Plate 09680. A further modern lean-to has been added to the south west corner, figs 03 & 04, Plates 09671 & 09675. Phasing Simple construction phasing has been annotated on fig 03 with further phasing detail also shown on fig 04. The earliest record of the building is the 1881, 1st edition Ordnance Survey map which clearly shows the footprint of the house and store without the modern breeze block lean-to.


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The phasing interpretation is that the original house consisted of the main building, on two levels with a raised ground floor towards the back, possibly as a result of the hill contour or for drainage. The walls of this original house are slightly splayed. On to this was added the extension (the store) consisting of a two story extension to the east. This extension is accessible externally at ground floor from the south east and internally from the stairwell of the main house, to the second floor. To accommodate this second floor entrance a hole has been made through the wall resulting in some external disturbance and requiring the insertion of the re-used lintel beam, Plate 09709. It is possible that the stairwell may have been altered at this point to provide a straight, half landing for the doorway fig 03. This may have resulted in a need to extend the stairs into the living room to reduce the three step fall. The last addition being the more modern breeze block extension to the south east corner The Living room The living room has an access door in the SE gable end and is flanked by a single window, Plates 09686, 09713-09715. The door recessed and the bottom of the wall has a slight splay, noticeable at this point, Plates 09672 & 09679. The SW wall has a Victorian cast range which is surrounded by a possibly moulded, fire facia, Plate 09685. The fire fitment has seriously affected the structure of the wall; as the daylight showing through in Plate 09685 clearly illustrates. The inclusion of both fire recess and chimney has been accommodated, within the width of a pre-existing wall; subsequently, reducing the external wall to no more that 0.15-0.2m in thickness. The construction work can be seen on the outside of the wall, fig 04, (south west elevation) and Plates 09673-09674. It is reasonable to infer that the fireplace in this position cannot have been part of the original construction, as there is no evidence of a chimney breast. To the NW is a raised step and base for panelling that separates the floor space into separate rooms, plates 09687 & 09694. The NE wall has the stairwell and the first two steps of which are in the living room, Plates 09688, 09695 & 09695. Plate 09688 shows triangular shadow to the right of the door which on inspection, Plate 09696, can be seen to be a substantial vertical oak beam. The beam stands away from the bowed wall and has been plastered over. The ceiling retains beams supporting lath and plaster, plates 09688, 09704-09705 & 09709-09715. One beam is supported by the vertical oak beam mentioned above and runs to the south west wall at the north east side of the fireplace, Plates 09685 &09688. The floor of the living room is covered with squared flagstones, Plates 09685-09689 & 09694, 09695. There is one anomalous area, Plate 09693, which has a pattern of three thin flags making a border to a smaller, now broken slab. The position of this anomaly is central to the room and aligned with the bottom of the present stairs. Rear room The rear room is subdivided by a stud partition giving two small rooms. Both rooms have windows and a wall recess, Plates 09689-09692. Both rear rooms have flagstone floors.


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Upstairs The rooms on the first floor were inaccessible to the survey because of the unstable nature of the floor structure, Plates 09702-09703. All photographs were therefore taken from the top of the stairs, Plates 09697-09706. There is possibly a fireplace in the SW wall of the room referred to as the bathroom but this could not be confirmed, Plate 09706. All of the rooms on the first floor have a single window, Plates 09697, 09698 & 09700. The store The extension, (the store) has some wall recesses in both the NW and NE walls, Plates 09681-09683 and a single ground floor window to the NW. The recess shown in Plate 09683 has a possible lintel and an internal angled brick construction. It is possibly the remains of a fireplace, the majority of which would have stood proud of the wall however, there is no evidence of burning. Unlike the fireplace in the living room, this cavity has been inserted into the wall with an external provision for construction made. There is a further first floor window in the SE wall but no first floor, Plate 09684. The partial first floor was accessible through the NE wall of the main house, from the stairwell, Plates 09680 & 09707. The opening for this access may have caused some damage to the structure of the building, Plate 09709. References: BBNPA. PL.APP.NO:10/05201 Notice of Decision. 2010. Location Plan 1:2500 Aug 2010. Plans: NP1V1, NP2V1, NP4V1 &NP5V1. Smith, G., July 2010. Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Scientific Interest in Wales. Abergavenny Priory Deer Park. www.coflein.gov.uk/pdf/CPG255/ GGAT MON1825/JBHD. Proposed Renovations and Alterations: Porth Y Park Farm, Llyn Du, PL.APP.NO:10/05201. GGAT. 27th Aug 2010. Management of Archaeological Projects (English heritage 1991). Ordnance Survey 1881 Monmouthshire, 1:2500. Old-maps.co.uk Standards and Guidance for the Archaeological Investigation and Recording of Standing Buildings or Structures (IFA 1996). Understanding Historic Buildings; A guide to good recording practice (English Heritage 2006).


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Staff Dr. Neil Phillips, AIFA, AAI&S The copyright for this report shall remain with the A.P.A.C. Ltd.

A.P.A.C. Registered Address: 36 Hatherleigh Rd, Abergavenny Monmouthshire NP7 7RG. Tel: 07734962919. Mobile: 07734962919 Email: [email protected]

Company Registration No 5041541 VAT Reg No 826 3628 19 Director: Dr. N. Phillips D.Phil. M. Phil. BA (Hons).Cert Ed/FE. AIFA. AAI&S.


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ARCHIVE COVER SHEET Porth Y Parc. Site Name: Porth Y Parc Site Code: BS/SGL/10 PRN: 01947g NPRN : - Cadw ref: Other Ref No: A.P.A.C. Ltd. Report No. 127 NGR: SO 2881 1672 Site Type: Post Medieval Project Type: Building Survey Project Officer: Neil Phillips Project Dates: Dec 2010 Categories Present: N/A Location of Original Archive: A.P.A.C. Ltd Location of duplicate Archives: Abergavenny Museum Number of Finds Boxes: N/A Location of Finds: N/A Museum Reference: N/A Copyright: A.P.A.C. Ltd Restrictions to access: None Contents Report hardcopy. Report digital PDF Original Photograph file

Site Porth Y ParcBS/SGL/10

Digital Photographic RecordA.P.A.C. Ltd

Photo No Camera Size Area View Description PlanDSC09668 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE NW General front elevation, south east gable and side store Fig03DSC09669 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE NW Close view front elevation, south east gable Fig03DSC09670 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE NW Close view front elevation, south east gable, side store Fig03DSC09671 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE NE Close view front elevation, south east gable, side store & lean-to Fig03DSC09672 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE SW Close up of wall splay, adjoining wall of house and store at, store room door Fig03DSC09673 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SW NE General SE elevation, Feature: vertical joint above blue barrel. On alignment with fire stack Fig03DSC09674 DSC-F828 1944x2592 External SW NE Close up of SE elevation at fireplace. Protruding, 0.8m ledge (ranging rod) of unknown purpose Fig03DSC09675 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External NE SW General view of NE elevation showing store. Note vertical joint at ranging rod, earlier phase of building to left Fig03DSC09676 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External NE&NW S General view of NE elevation, Slight splay of NE wall shown. No splay on NE wall of store Fig03DSC09677 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External NE&NW S Close up of general view of NE & NW elevations noting the joint of the store with the house Fig03DSC09678 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External NE&NW SW General view of NW gable elevation Fig03DSC09679 DSC-F828 1944x2592 External SE SW Close up of wall splay, adjoining wall of house and store at. Rods at path to front door Fig03DSC09680 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Store NW Inside of store. Upper platform opens through to stairwell Fig03DSC09681 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Store W Butt joint to main house which has a splay. Fig03DSC09682 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Store N Internal NE & NW walls of store. Shelving in NE wall Fig03DSC09683 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Store SE NE wall brick lined recess with stone lintel purpose unknown possible fire place Fig03DSC09684 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Store S Internal view of entrance door on SE wall. Fig03DSC09685 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room SW View of SW wall showing Victorian range and fireplace facia Fig03DSC09686 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room SE View of SE gable showing window and door with wooden panelled entrance screen Fig03DSC09687 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room NW Internal, lath and plaster wall between living room and kitchen; the latter raised, approx 0.34m Fig03DSC09688 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room NE View of NE wall with stairwell (behind door) Two steps into room Fig03DSC09689 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Kitchen SW side NW Internal NE gable, plastered wall with window to the left and stud and board part ion to right Fig03DSC09690 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Kitchen SW side SE Kitchen floor flags. Note, stud partition is marked in doorway with a threshold in the flag floor Fig03DSC09691 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Kitchen SW side NE Kitchen partition. Panelled on NE side and lath and plaster on SW Fig03DSC09692 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Kitchen NE side NW NW wall with high recess and protruding base. The floor shows evidence that an associated structure has been removed Fig03DSC09693 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room SE Flag floor in living room. An anomalous form in the paving that appears to be a later renovation Fig03DSC09694 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room NW Partition between the living room and kitchen areas Fig03DSC09695 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Living room NE View of stairwell from living room Fig03DSC09696 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Living room NE Door frame of stairwell with large oak upright that has been plastered over. Unique within house Fig03DSC09697 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bedroom 1 W Western corner of Bedroom 1. single SE window. Flooring unsafe Fig03DSC09698 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bathroom SW SW wall of room showing lath and plaster partition with bedroom 2 Flooring unsafe Fig03DSC09699 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bedroom 2 S S corner of bedroom 2. Flooring unsafe. Fig03

Site Porth Y ParcBS/SGL/10

Digital Photographic RecordA.P.A.C. Ltd

DSC09700 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Bedroom 2 S SW wall of bedroom 2. Flooring unsafe. Fig03DSC09701 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bedroom 2 SE SE corner of bedroom 2. Flooring unsafe. Fig03DSC09702 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bathroom SW General view of flooring, bathroom Fig03DSC09703 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Bedroom 2 SW General view of flooring, bedroom 2. Fig03DSC09704 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Bathroom SW Ceiling and roof structure Fig03DSC09705 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Bedroom 1 W Ceiling and roof structure Fig03DSC09706 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Bathroom SW SW west wall of bathroom. Arch of possible fireplace just visible behind debris Fig03DSC09707 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Stairwell V Stairwell from landing. Tin sheet at top of photograph blocks the entrance to the upper floor of the store Fig03DSC09709 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Stairwell V Stairwell with detail of reused roof beam. The wall bulges here, where the doorway to the store has been added Fig03DSC09710 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room NE Detail of ceiling structure Fig03DSC09711 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room N Detail of ceiling structure Fig03DSC09712 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room E Detail of ceiling structure Fig03DSC09713 DSC-F828 1944x2592 Living room E Detail of front window Fig03DSC09714 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room E Detail of front window showing window shutter fitting Fig03DSC09715 DSC-F828 2592x1944 Living room SE Detail of front door and panel partition Fig03DSC09716 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SE gable SW Detail of splay foundation. In front of window Fig03DSC09717 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SW NE Overview Fig03DSC09718 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SW NE Overview & setting Fig03DSC09719 DSC-F828 2592x1944 External SW NE General Fig03

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