The Argoed, Penalt
History
In the 17th century the house was the home of the Proberts, local landowners, members of parliament and High Sheriffs of Monmouthshire. Richard Potter, Chairman of the Great Western Railway and father of Beatrice Webb, bought the house in 1865 and undertook extensive rebuilding. Beatrice Webb was a founder member of the Fabian Society and, in the later 19th and early 20th centuries, she entertained many prominent friends at the Argoed, including George Bernard Shaw. Shaw is rumoured to have written his plays The Man of Destiny and Mrs. Warren's Profession whilst staying at the house. In the 1980s, the Argoed was owned by Robert Plant of the rock band Led Zeppelin.
Architecture
The architectural historian John Newman describes the Argoed as "a large, two-storeyed stone house (and) a tantalizing one." The central block is original and irregular, its "windows all 18th century sashes." Potter's re-building included a larger block to the south and a service wing to the north. The interior has been greatly reconstructed. The grounds are largely from the 19th and 20th centuries, though they include "17th century terraces of potential archaeological interest." The triangular plot has gardens which include wide gravel drives, formal lawns, terraces and ha-has which look out over the Wye valley. The gardens are listed at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales and are recorded by the RCAHMW on their Coflein database.
Notes
References
- ^ Newman 2000, pp. 578–579.
- ^ "Henry Probert (c.1645-1719)". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "The Argoed (36392)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ Cadw. "The Argoed (Grade II*) (2892)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Penny Churchill (6 August 2009). "Luxury property for sale in Monmouthshire". Country Life.
- ^ Newman 2000, pp. 462–3.
- ^ Cadw. "The Argoed (PGW(Gt)49(MON))". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
- ^ "The Argoed Garden, Penallt (265998)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
Bibliography
- Newman, John (2000). Gwent/Monmouthshire. The Buildings of Wales. Penguin. ISBN 0140710531.