Kemeys House

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameKemeys House
Alternative NamesKemys House
Historic CountryMonmouthshire
Modern AuthorityNewport
1974 AuthorityGwent
CommunityLangstone

Small strongly built square tower; appears to have been added to a contemporary hall. Probably C15; built up in a large house of C17. No known history. (Hogg and King)

Ancient mansion not much altered from C16 when it would seem to have been rebuilt in it present form. Remains of tower belonging to origin edifice in NE. (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

Located on the E side of Langstone Court Road, to the S of the A48 Chepstow/Newport Road, set down a private drive.

Entered on the S side via a modern gabled porch into the C17 W range. Interior is generally modernised. A good well type oak stair survives in this range with five landings with turned balusters, flat moulded handrail to flat topped newels, ball pendants and solid moulded strings. To right hand side of the entrance hallway are two surviving long, square-headed C15 lights with hollow chamfered mullion and chamfered sandstone jambs. Formerly on gable of the earliest hall range, now internalised by the C17 range. Basement of C19 wing has surviving cast iron range at E end. Original pegged and trussed "A" frame roof.

Substantial two-and-a-half storey farmhouse dating from three periods: the central range is the earliest, probably dating from the C15, aligned on a N/S axis, the W two-storey range is C17 aligned E/W and the E range is a lower C19 addition, set back on an E/W axis. Whitewashed rendered elevations with steeply pitched slate roofs: four gable chimneys all rebuilt in yellow bricks, two to the central range and one each to the W and E ranges. The house has been refenestrated with a mixture of mostly modern casements and small pane sash windows, being symmetrically aligned to the front (S) W end range and the rear (N) central range. The central range to the front elevation has a large projecting stack rising to the eaves with blocked square window openings to the attic high up on the gable on S and N faces

Rear elevation has a miscellany of modern windows largely of random pattern. (Listed Building Report)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic Wales CADW listed database record number
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST381925
Latitude51.6286010742188
Longitude-2.89433002471924
Eastings338190
Northings192580
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Kenyon, J.R., 2008, 'Masonry Castles and Castle-building' in R. Griffiths, T. Hopkins and R. Howell (eds), The Gwent County History (Cardiff: University of Wales Press) Vol. 2 The Age of the Marcher Lords, c. 1070-1536 p. 89-114
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 146
  • Newman, J., 2000, The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire (London) p. 259-61
  • Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 20
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
  • Rees, Wm, 1932, Map of South Wales and the Border in the 14th century (Ordnance Survey) (A handbook to the map was published in 1933)
  • Bradney, 1923, History of Monmouthshire Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 173-81

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1970, 'Castles in Wales and the Marches (Additions and corrections to lists published in 1963 and 1967)' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 119 p. 119-124