Penhow Castle,
Penhow,
Newport dates from the early 12th century. Extended and reconstructed in almost every century since, it has been claimed to be the oldest continuously-inhabited castle in Wales. The castle is a
Grade II* listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
.
History
The manor of Penhow was held by
Caradog ap Gruffydd, prince of
Gwent at the time of the
Norman invasion of Wales
The Norman invasion of Wales began shortly after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest of England under William the Conqueror, who believed England to be his birthright. Initially (1067–1081), the invasion of Wales was not undertaken with the fer ...
.
The estate was seized by the
Seymour family (anciently ''de St. Maur'') and by 1129, Sir Roger de St Maur had built a fortified manor at the site. The house was extended and further fortified in the 15th and 17th centuries.
In the 16th century, the manor passed to the
Somersets. In 1674, it was purchased by the Lewis family of
St Pierre.
Viscount Rhondda, an industrialist and conservator of ancient buildings in Wales, bought the castle in 1914. By the mid-20th century, the castle was in a state of some dilapidation, until bought and restored by the film director
Stephen Weeks.
During his tenure, the castle was open to the public, while also serving as Weeks’ residence. In 2002, it was sold and reverted to a private home. Penhow is frequently claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Wales.
Architecture and description
The architectural historian
John Newman, in his ''Gwent/Monmouthshire''
Pevsner, describes Penhow as "small and
nonvincingly defensive". It is constructed of local
Old red sandstone rubble.
The oldest portion of the castle is the west tower, which dates from the time of the Seymours. The two-storeyed hall range is later, of the 14th-15th centuries. Further large-scale remodelling took place in the 17th and 18th centuries, when the castle was refashioned as a comfortable country house. The
Cadw
(, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage ...
listing records notes the "exceptionally fine
Restoration period interiors”. The castle is
listed Grade II*.
Two ranges of ancillary buildings contain some important agricultural structures, each with their own listings. The grouping immediately to the south-west of the castle includes a barn and a
byre. The grouping further from the castle to the south includes an additional barn, another byre and a stable block.
Notes
References
Sources
*
* {{Cite book
, last=Newman, first=John
, author-mask=1
, series=The Buildings of Wales
, title=Gwent/Monmouthshire
, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=knRf4U60QjcC&dq=The+Buildings+of+Wales%3A+Gwent%2FMonmouthshire&pg=PA2
, year=2000
, publisher=Penguin
, location=London
, isbn=0-14-071053-1
Grade II* listed buildings in Newport, Wales
Grade II* listed castles in Wales
History of Wales