Trivor Farmhouse, St Maughans, Monmouthshire is a house dating from the late 17th century. Extended and reconstructed in the 18th century, it was originally the home of the recusant James family. In the 19th century it was bought by the Rolls family of the nearby Hendre estate. The house is Grade II* listed.
| Trivor Farmhouse | |
|---|---|
 "an important 17th century vernacular house of strong architectural character" | |
| Type | House |
| Location | St Maughans, Monmouthshire |
| Coordinates | 51°51′20″N 2°46′42″W / 51.8556°N 2.7783°W |
| Architectural style(s) | Vernacular |
| Governing body | Privately owned |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Trivor Farmhouse |
| Designated | 1 May 1952 |
| Reference no. | 2058 |
  Location of Trivor Farmhouse in Monmouthshire | |
History
editThe house was begun in the 1630s but remained incomplete until the very end of the 17th century.[1] Sir Cyril Fox and Lord Raglan, in the last of their three-volume study Monmouthshire Houses, suggest that a lack of funds was the likely reason for the hiatus in building; noting that the "contemporary roof is of poor quality".[2] The builders were the James family, notable Catholic adherents[3] in a county with a strong recusant tradition.[4] Trivor was a centre for Catholic gatherings in the 17th century, mass being celebrated in the attic of the house.[5][6] The house was completed circa. 1700.[7] In 1845, the farm was bought was the Rolls family and incorporated into their Hendre estate centred on Rockfield. Trivor was held by the family until 1922, when it was sold prior to the death of Lady Georgina Rolls in 1923, her three sons having predeceased her.[5] The house remains a private residence.
Architecture and description
editTrivor is built of Old red sandstone and has two large chimney breasts with a dozen brick-built chimney stacks.[1] It is constructed to an L-plan.[2] It has a large and "highly unusual" stair turret which incorporates the porch.[5] Fred Hando, the Monmouthshire writer and artist, recorded a visit to Trivor in the early 1950s. He notes the attic chapel is 22 feet long by 16 feet wide, and retains the niche in which a crucifix would have been placed.[8] The architectural historian John Newman describes Trivor as "a tall and handsome farmhouse".[1] It is a Grade II* listed structure, its listing record noting it as "an important 17th century vernacular house of strong architectural character".[5]
Notes
edit- ^ a b c Newman 2000, pp. 523–524.
- ^ a b Fox & Raglan 1994, p. 59.
- ^ Lloyd 2002.
- ^ Kissack 1996, pp. 125–6.
- ^ a b c d Cadw. "Trivor Farmhouse (Grade II*) (2058)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Monmouth, Mary In (9 October 2008). "Mary in Monmouth: Saint Mawgan at St Maughams-A Church with a Secret". Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- ^ Fox & Raglan 1994, p. 106.
- ^ Hando 1951, p. 87.
References
edit- Fox, Cyril; Raglan, Lord (1994). Renaissance Houses, c. 1590–1714. Monmouthshire Houses. Vol. 3. Cardiff: Merton Priory Press Ltd & The National Museum of Wales. ISBN 1898937001. OCLC 776066469.
- Hando, Fred (1951). Journeys in Gwent. Newport: R. H. Johns Ltd. OCLC 30202753.
- Kissack, Keith (1996). The Lordship, Parish and Borough of Monmouth. Hereford: Lapridge Publications. OCLC 59587626.
- Lloyd, Thomas (2002). Annual Report of the Historic Buildings Council of Wales 2001/2 (PDF). Cardiff: National Assembly of Wales.
- Newman, John (2000). Gwent/Monmouthshire. The Buildings of Wales. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-071053-1.