Penrhos, Usk, Monmouthshire

Why We Love The Old Vicarage

A fine Victorian former vicarage, 1867, overlooking 50 acres of its own private Monmouthshire bliss

Known locally as the 'Orange Beacon' as its terracotta colour can be seen from far, The Old Vicarage Penrhos is perfectly placed for stunning verdant views across the Welsh landscape. The house is a splendid family home with fantastically well-proportioned rooms and acres of private gardens and grounds, ideal for children with an enthusiasm for exploring the outdoors. There is also a separate one-bedroom cottage, as well as outbuildings with potential to convert to additional accommodation (subject to planning).

The main house is set back from a quiet single-track lane, hidden behind a neatly clipped hedge and accessed via two sets of double gates. The gravelled driveway curves through a pretty assortment of specimen shrubs and trees up to a parking area at the front of the house, before continuing on past outbuildings to a courtyard with extensive further parking at the side of the house. 

Both the exteriors and interiors have been beautifully maintained by our client over the last 20 years. The interiors are set up to flow well for family life and entertaining The bright and airy reception rooms have a sense of gothic grandeur and exhibit wonderful unaltered period features with high ceilings throughout, exposed wooden floors, fireplaces, and particularly large windows to take in the views. The gardens are immensely peaceful, with a distinct lack of road noise and an emphasis on birdsong.

Downstairs

The front door opens into the front hall with decorative period floor tiles depicting scrolling vine motifs. The dual aspect drawing room sits at the back of the house, facing South and East with open fireplace and some of the best views in the house over the gardens and mature trees and paddocks to hills in the distance. The sitting room has extensive inbuilt bookshelves, a large bay window and wood burner-fire, this room formerly worked equally well as a formal dining room. A generous separate study, also with bay window, fireplace and inbuilt bookshelves, provides a cosy quiet space and could alternatively be used as a playroom. A passage between the main house and the kitchen area has a door opening onto the terrace and garden.

The very generous kitchen/breakfast room is a charming and highly practical space with fitted kitchen, traditional inbuilt dresser, and AGA. The room has plenty of space for a large breakfast table as well as a sitting area with sofas and an armchair, it also has plenty of storage and is served by a large pantry with tiled floor and slate shelves. The adjoining utility area has storage cupboards, washer/dryer and overhead drying rack, and is conveniently located next to the lobby and back door. There is also a downstairs loo next to the front door. Extensive cellars with wine storage are accessed via the hall.

Upstairs

Bedrooms fan off from a hallway on the first floor. The large principal bedroom is situated over the drawing room and enjoys the same stunning South facing view: a door gives access to a dressing room, nursery or further bedroom, again with lovely views. It also has its own bathroom with bath and separate shower. There are two further bedrooms and two bathrooms (one with shower and the other with roll-top bath) on this floor as well as an additional separate loo. Two further bedrooms are located on the second floor.

Separate Cottage

The separate cottage comprises a kitchen/dining room downstairs, and a sitting room, bedroom and bathroom upstairs. The cottage is linked to the same oil tank as house and has its own boiler. It further benefits from its own private access and garden at the rear.

Outbuildings

The house comes with extensive outbuildings including a set of barns which are separate from the house and have their own access from the road. These provide fantastic flexible space and could be used for storage or converted to garaging, stabling, or additional accommodation (subject to planning). There is also another separate storage barn as well as a tool-shed and log store close to the back door, and a pretty summerhouse with trellis exterior in a walled area overlooking the kitchen garden.

Gardens and Grounds

The Old Vicarage’s gardens are a true delight, and have been opened annually as part of the National Garden Scheme over the last 20 years. 

The gardens comprise several distinct zones including a parterre, kitchen garden, wildflower meadow and ponds.

The current owners have greatly improved the gardens over their tenure, whilst also ensuring that they remain easily manageable. There has been a particular focus on planting trees over the last two decades and the gardens include a wonderful assortment of specimens which enhance the garden and views from the house. Species include oaks, cedar, acer, mulberry, flowering handkerchief, lime, tulip and male ginko trees.

The driveway is lined with hellebores, camelias, azaleas, rhododendrons, and carpets of flowers in the spring, including native Welsh daffodils, which deliver welcome colour early in the year.

The charming courtyard at the side of the house leads into the parterre and the kitchen garden, which is flanked with box hedges and topiary. A large stone terrace with space for a large outdoor dining table, sits to the South and East of the house, perfect for taking in the outstanding views over its own land to distant hills. Expansive lawns flow to the bottom of the garden which is enclosed by a dry stone wall Beyond there are ponds and a wildflower meadow which was planted 5 years ago and is a haven for bees and other insects. One of the many fascinating things about gardens is how they change and develop through the years and the seasons.

Land

The house comes with approximately 50 acres in total, including extensive paddocks, some of which are currently used for sheep grazing, with a formal grazing agreement in place with a local farmer.

The paddocks near the house are planted with mature trees and separated from the garden by smart estate fencing, giving it the feel of rolling parkland. Beyond sit several ponds, a woodland area and a stream which provide great habitats for wildlife.

There are two footpaths which cross across the land, both are a sufficient distance from the house and garden to avoid disturbance.

Locality

Penrhos is a small rural hamlet with an active community, centred on the medieval church of St. Cadocs and surrounded by rolling fields, pretty hedge lined lanes and farmsteads. 

The nearby village of Raglan covers all immediate amenities with several shops and pubs, Post Office, pharmacy, doctor’s surgery, church, primary school, and award-winning local family butcher N S James Ltd. The lovely historic towns of Usk, Abergavenny and Monmouth offer charm in spades and further choice of independent shops and supermarkets, including Waitrose. Abergavenny and Usk both hold excellent farmers markets every month offering high quality local produce. The area has some stunning walking routes right from the Old Vicarages’ doorstep, including the Offa’s Dyke path, and beauty spots to visit nearby including Llanthony Abbey, the Usk and Wye Valleys, Symonds Yat, Cleddau River and the Forest of Dean. There are many local sporting opportunities. For keen golfers, the championship courses at The Rolls of Monmouth and Celtic Manor Resort — host to the 2010 Ryder Cup — offer exemplary play amid spectacular scenery. The river Usk is renowned for its fly fishing, both for Salmon and wild brown trout. For those with a passion for field sports, the surrounding area supports a thriving rural tradition, with the active Welsh Pony Club, several well-regarded local hunts and annual point-to-points.

The closest primary school is a short drive away in Raglan. Haberdashers schools for Boys and Girls in Monmouth has an excellent reputation, as does Rougemont School.  

For those looking to commute, train links from Newport Railway Station to London Paddington take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes: there is an excellent National Express bus service from Newport to Heathrow. Penrhos is well-connected by road, with easy access to the A40 and A465, providing direct routes to nearby towns such as Abergavenny and Monmouth. The hamlet also has easy access to major transport links, such as the M4 motorway and A40, ensuring convenient access to both Cardiff and Bristol. In addition, Cardiff and Bristol airports are both just over an hour's drive away.

Monmouthshire is a magical county of old-world rural charm

Raglan 4 miles, Monmouth, 8.5 miles, Usk 9.5 miles, Abergavenny 9.5 miles

Newport 22 miles, Cardiff 35 miles, Bristol 43 miles

Chapters Past

Penrhos sits close to Offa’s Dyke on the ancient defensive border between Wales and England. 

The landscape in this part of the country is subsequently studded with castles, including the substantial late medieval castle at Raglan 4 miles to the South with magnificent towers and battlements which can be seen for miles around.

Penrhos itself was the site of an early medieval motte and bailey castle. The defensive walls were likely of timber construction and have not survived, but the castle’s earthworks remain as a local landmark. The fine medieval stone church of St. Cadoc has survived, and like many church towers in the area it was also built as an observation point which could be easily defended. The current building dating largely from the 15th century and records dating back to the mid 13th century.

The first resident vicar at Penrhos was the Rev. William Feetham, who moved here in 1866 and remained vicar until his death in 1902. He commissioned the Welsh architect George J. J. Mair to build the Old Vicarage as a home for his large family. Feetham was a generous benefactor of the hamlet and local community and went on to build the schoolhouse.