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Archaeological Perspectives Analysis Consultancy
ARCHAEOLOGICAL
REPORT
By: Dr N Phillips.
A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Summary
APAC Ltd was contacted by the client in order to undertake a level I/II building
recording survey on a disused property prior to proposed development.
The building at the time of the survey had undergone some clearing after a period
of neglect and an internal fire.
The client was instructed to arrange for the building survey by Torfaen County
Borough Council Planning.
APAC Ltd produced a project design for the work, which was approved and the
survey was undertaken.
This document comprises the Level I/II building recording survey as required.
At the time of the survey, the building had been partially cleared of all internal
fittings plus a large portion of the ground floor, flooring and all of the first floor
ceilings.
It is possible that the house was originally a two period build as the rear part has
completely different dimensions that the front, however, it is equally possible that
the rear was purpose built as a hall.
The front building at least has been subject to some refurbishment during its
period of use.
Copyright Notice:
A.P.A.C. Ltd. retains copyright of this report under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
The Ordnance Survey has granted A.P.A.C. Ltd a Copyright Licence (No. 100046577) to reproduce map information; Copyright remains
otherwise with the Ordnance Survey.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Contents
Summary .........................................................................................................................................1
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
Appendix .........................................................................................................................................3
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................4
Location and description of the evaluation areas ............................................................................4
Brief archaeological and historical background..............................................................................4
Aims and Objectives .......................................................................................................................5
Methodology ...................................................................................................................................5
Data Presentation.............................................................................................................................5
General external description of Pontnewydd Inn............................................................................6
External detail: ................................................................................................................................6
General internal description ............................................................................................................7
Internal detail: .................................................................................................................................8
Phasing ..........................................................................................................................................10
Interpretation summary .................................................................................................................10
Acknowledgements: ......................................................................................................................10
References: ....................................................................................................................................11
Figures
01 Site Location map
02 Ordnance Survey: Map 1882
03 Ordnance Survey: Map 1920
04 Floor Plans
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Appendix
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Introduction
This level I/II building survey has been prepared by Dr Neil Phillips, A.P.A.C. Ltd, in response to a proposed
program of works to redevelop a former Public House which has fallen into disuse.
The building; Pontnewydd Inn, Commercial Street, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. NP44 1AE, has suffered from a period
of neglect since the last occupant left and has also been subjected to additional damage from fire.
Some emergency work has been done to the property in order to stabilise the structure before it fell into complete
ruin.
The proposed project has now entered the refurbishment phase and the client has been advised by Torfaen County
Borough Council (TCBC) that he would need to engage a building’s archaeologist as part of the planning process:
14. No development to which this permission relates shall commence until an appropriate
programme of historic building recording and analysis has been secured, implemented and
submitted to the local planning authority in accordance with a written scheme of investigation
which has been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning Authority.
Reason: As the building is of historic significance, the records are required to mitigate impact.
TCBC 13/P/00398.
After discussion with Mr S. Peel, building conservation office with TCBC, a design brief DB:BS/PYD/14 was
drawn up, submitted and approved as fit for purpose.
This report details the building survey undertaken on 16th January 2014.
The location of the site, NGR 329225 196318, can be gained from A402 Abergavenny to Newport rd. When
travelling south take the 2nd exit at the Griffithstown roundabout onto the A4051, then the 3rd exit onto Grove Park
and continue until the ‘T’ junction with Commercial St, Pontnewydd.
The site is at present empty and secured with fencing, boarded windows and padlocked doors.
Research into the background of the site has been undertaken at the Gwent Records Office, and online but with little
success, other than Ordnance Survey Maps:
a hamlet in the SW of Monmouthshire: on the Crumlin canal and the Western Valleys railway, 5¼ miles N by W of
Newport. It has a station on the railway and tin plate Works (Wilson 1870-72).
It is interesting that the 1st series Ordnance Survey in 1833 has no identification for Pontnewydd although tin works
‘founded in 1802’, (Industrial Monmouthshire), are marked and the canal section running from Pontnewydd to
Newport ‘The Main Line’ was authorised in 1792, (Haydon, R, 2010).
Pontnewydd to Pontymoile section of 2 miles was replaced by a tramroad not long after 1812 as it was prone to
water shortages, (Haydon, R, 2010).
It is probable that the name Pontnewydd meaning Newbridge is not only descriptive of its location but also its
historic raison d’etre; which narrows the probable date of the associated Pontnewydd Inn to the the 19th century.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
The Ordnance Survey mapping of 1882 records the existence of a building, marked PH, with roughly the same
footprint that it has today; although, with out the east and west fire escapes fig 02.
Ordnance Survey map progressions identify little change to the site over the next four decades but 1920 the building
plan acquires an outbuilding to the east, a possible stairway to the north and an unidentifiable addition between the
front building and the north extension, fig 03.
Lastly, there is a listing of a Henry Thomas, Proprietor of the Pontnewydd Inn in 1901 (Kelly).
The aim of the level I/II survey is to preserve by record the structure of the building, prior to refurbishment and in so
doing’ provide a facility for understanding the building’s historic development.
The record produced can then be used to guide the determination of the planning condition as to the final design of
refurbishment.
Methodology
The building survey followed the methodology defined in 5.2, Understanding Historic Buildings; A Guide to Good
Recording Practice (English Heritage 2008). The methodology employed was also guided by the Standards and
Guidance for the Archaeological Investigation and Recording of Standing Buildings or Structures (IFA 1996,
revised ed 2013).
The photographic record of the site includes general views of the exterior, the overall appearance of principle
structure and circulation areas, external and internal detail relevant to the property’s design and development.
Some areas were not photographed: the 1st floor attic and room 5 due to lack of access, some of room 8 due to
absence of flooring other than open joists and basement 17 due to lack of access.
Existing floor plans were provided by the client but a lot of changes were noted at the time of survey these were
adapted and a new set were drawn up based upon the layout at the time of survey.
The adapted plans were re-drawn in Cad, fig 04 and provided in the photo cards as a photographic locator.
The photographic survey was conducted using a Sony Cybershot F828 digital camera mounted on a tripod.
Simple phasing was undertaken based on observable, constructional anomalies, Ordnance survey mapping.
This report also comprises a written element as defined in 4.5 Understanding Historic Buildings; A Guide to Good
Recording Practice (English Heritage 2006).
Data Presentation
Data referred to within the text is included in the Figures (fig##), and Plates (P##).
The Plates are the photographs taken as part of the survey and included as annotated data records.
Appendix I presents; in spreadsheet format, details of all the photographs taken during the survey, including those
not used in the text. Photographs used in the text are listed in the right column with P and a sequential reference
number: P##.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
The building consists of a two storey, south facing Georgian Style, frontage with gables to the west and east with a
rear extension hall running north south with a hipped roof.
The front elevation has been rendered to resemble ashlar blocking which has been painted white, whereas the rear
and sides are plain render with a mixture of older paintwork.
All woodwork: sash windows, doors, and panelling, are painted black as are the base strings, canopy and the
majority of the stone window sills.
The south elevation opens at street level whereas the other three sides have an addition above ground basement.
East and west elevations have metal fire escapes whilst the western side has a lean to at ground level to
accommodate a set of stairs to the basement.
East and west elevations have a number blocked windows and doorways at the basement level.
External detail:
The front and main entrance to the building is shown in Plate 01.
Opening onto the main road it has a centrally placed door with two windows each side and three on the first floor.
Ground and first floors are separated by an applied wooden façade which has been painted black and there is a flat
stone, 1930’s style canopy above the door.
The canopy, currently coming adrift, is supported on painted stone/concrete mouldings, Plate 02.
The eastern elevation reveals a building on three floors and two floors, rather than the two shown at the front, Plate
03.
The additional floor being; an above ground basement exposed on three sides but abutting the apparently raised
carriageway, on to which the building fronts.
The gable end of the front part of the building shows all three floors by the position of the windows.
The rear part however, shows only two floors as this part of the building is more likened to a hall.
The join of the two buildings can be seen in Plate 03; unfortunately, the render prevents any analysis of the
constructional detail.
At the basement level, Plate 03 also shows one of the blocked windows left as well as a blocked arched entrance,
right; which despite the render shows the downward bulge of a central keystone construction to this three point arch.
Abutting the carriageway and added to the building sometime after 1901 but before 1920 see figs 02/03, is a brick
construction of unknown purpose, Plate 04.
Plate 03 also provides access to some detail of the basement wall construction, coursed rubble, visible through the
door opening.
The northern end of the building lacks any features but Plat 05 does show the width of the front part of the building
in comparison to the narrowness of the rear hall, Plate 05.
The western elevation has some interesting features focused around the join between the front and rear parts of the
present building, Plate 06.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
The floor configuration is the same as that shown at the east elevation, although there is a difference to the features:
the gable end has no first floor windows and the hall has two doors at ground floor level with only one window.
There is a rather awkward adjustment mid building to accommodate an upper, window with flat roof, to the top of
the upper stairwell, with a further lean-to to accommodate the stairwell to the basement Plate 07.
Beneath the recently added fire escape and balcony, are two large access doors to the basement; both of which are
possibly later additions; replacing the ‘keystone arch’ feature of the east elevation with steel lintels.
The fire escape also obscures another blocked window with stone sill.
Front building (southern portion) rooms 1-7, 9 & 10-14, fig 04.
The first floor of the building is divided by dry-lined stud partition walls into 5 rooms (1-6) with 2 short access
passages.
All the floors are intact but the ceiling has gone, probably as a result of an internal fire.
Access to the first floor is by stairs which enter from the north through the external wall which adjoins the northern
section of the building.
The ground floor consists of a single room, (9) approximately 70m² with an external entry points from the road to
the south and fire door to the east.
To the north, the external wall has been opened by 3.75m to provide access up two steps, to the rear building
This ground floor room has windows to three sides but no detectable signs of original heating or stairs to the upper
floor.
The ceiling is intact and supported on beams one of which spans the room centrally 9.6m east/west with two more
4m sections which adjoin the main beam and run to the north external wall.
The join of the two short beams to the main joist is supported on two cast iron pillars.
The basement is divided by brick wall partitions into 4 main rooms with a short access passage, (10-13).
The basement is only accessible now from the stairwell which enters the north west corner of the basement through
the external wall.
This room is a large hall with intact ceiling and moulded coving, at around 3.65m above the floor which covers a
space of 86m².
It has high windows east and west with two external door on the west and an access way to the front building along
the south.
The basement contains three rooms divided by brick walls, only two of which are accessible internally.
Stairwell 7 is a straight flight of wooden stairs between the ground and first floor.
It is external to the front part of the building but internal to the rear hall building.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Stairwell 10, ground floor to basement, is again a straight flight of wooden stairs external to the front building but
this time also external to the rear hall under cover of a lean-to.
Internal detail:
Room 1 is the largest of the first floor rooms and includes two of the front elevation windows one of which has been
boarded up, Plate 08.
A view from room 1 towards the north east shows the ply flooring, stud walls, pattern faced hollow core door to
room 2 and entrance to passage 6.
With the exception of the small alcove on the corner of the west gable and front elevation shown centre of Plate 08
the room has no features of note.
The same can be said of room 2 which has one window to the north but no features of note Plate 10.
Room 3 is again featureless and sharing the frontage with room 1 has the 3rd window and a matching alcove, Plate
11.
Room 4, Plate 12, the bathroom, is separated from 3 by a small access passage which also provides access to room
5, Plate 13.
Access to the first floor is through a small featureless landing room 6, Plate 14, from the stairwell 7 leading from the
ground floor, PL 15.
Room 9 is a single room with wooden floor boards and a porch entrance way from the south, Plates 16 & 17.
The only features of note are the two cast pillars supporting beams which may identify the position of the original
walls.
To the north, the floor has been raised by two steps to provide access to room 9, Plate 18.
Access to the basement is from room 8, Plate 19, down a straight flight of wooden stairs, Plate 17, enclosed in the
lean-to, external to the front building, Plate 07.
At the bottom of the stairs is a door to the left, through the external north wall into the basement area, passage 10.
The first opening; south from 10, gives access to room 11, a rectangular room divided into two sections by a stub
wall to the east, Plate 20 but giving access through double to room 12 to the south Plate 21.
Room 12 abuts directly beneath the road to the south, interestingly, there does seem to be an old vent positioned
high up on the wall Plate 22.
There is also a raised platform along the same south wall which has been lined with bevelled edge moulded
engineering brick, Plate 23.
Room 13 can be only be reached through passage 10 and in turn gives access to Room 14.
Room 13 is completely plastered so gives no detail of its construction however; there is an interesting feature to the
left of the Belfast basin which can be seen as a recess, Plate 24.
The recess is floor to ceiling and so likely to have been a door yet the corresponding feature externally shows a
blocked window with sill, Plate 25.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Room 14; accessible through room 13, again two external blocked openings which were not possible to check in any
detail, Plate 26.
A central opening to the left of passage 10 gives access to two larger rectangular rooms 15 and 16.
Plate 27, shows 15 viewed towards the east with the central keystone construction arch discussed above.
To the left of the photograph is a blocked internal window into room 16 but to the left is an unexplained offset, brick
construction wall.
When viewed to the west the same room has another blocked doorway and it is also possible to see the bottom of the
stairwell which passes beyond the west external wall, Plate 28.
Also revealed is a very substantial girder which extends the width of room 15.
Additionally, the photograph reveals the cut through the external wall of the front building (left), allowing access to
15 from 10.
Room 16, Plate 29 shows a view of the internal eastern wall revealing a soot filled opening for a flue which
continues up internally though the wall within a brick built chimney for which there are no other traces.
To the west, the same room reveals a second form of heating with an in situ cast iron range, Plates 30 & 31.
There used to be a connection at with 16 the eastern end of the adjoining wall but this has been filled in.
The only access is through the locked doors shown in Plate 07.
Rear building, 9.
The rear building is one large hall and judging from the plans supplied by the client, has recently been stripped of
partition walling to the east which held a toilet block, Plate 32.
There are two features in the room that are worth noting:
On the east wall, above the flue in room 16 is a stone slab built into the floor which possibly held a boiler of some
kind for heating the hall, Plate 33.
To the rear of the hall, in the north wall is a large recess which has no apparent use; however, the 1920 Ordnance
Survey map reveals a structure in this position, Plate 34.
It is possible that the recess may a blocked double door access to the hall from the north prior to the new internal
access from the front building.
Stairwell
Plate 19, the yellowed wall to the left is the original external wall of the front building and the rectangular extension
above is the landing access room 7 into room 6.
Externally Plates 06 & 07 both show the position of the stairwell beneath the lean to roof, to the right of the fire
escape.
Above the lean-to roof is a single window; off level with its neighbour to the right and covered with an awkward flat
roof.
It is possible that both these stairwells are latter additions, best fit solutions, when the two buildings became one.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
Phasing
Taking into account the shared external wall, the difference in floor levels and the external stair wells, it is probable
that the building originally began as two separate structures which later became one enterprise.
Which building is earlier is difficult to judge; however, from the symmetrical, Georgian Style layout of the front
building it is reasonable to suggest that originally the building would have had an internal stair, probably rising from
a front entrance hall in a similar position to the beams now resting on the later cast iron pillars.
If the entire first floor had not been re-developed with all its original internal walls replaced, it would have been
possible to verify this.
If this interpretation is correct then the front building has been extensively re-developed to include the use of the
rear building, ie the rear building has been added to the front.
Interpretation summary
It can be seen from the information above that any interpretation is subjective at best as the building itself retains
very little in the way of datable features.
The historical background of the area tends to limit the building to a foundation after the early 19th century with
mapping placing a definite existence by 1882.
Archive
Secondary archives consisting of a hard copy of the report with a digital copy of the complete data and photographs
be deposited with the County Records Office in Ebbw Vale and with The Royal Commission on Ancient and
Historical Monuments Aberystwyth.
A digital copy of the report will be forwarded to the HER held be Glamorgan Gwent Archaeological Trust.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank Chris and Paul for letting me get on with the job at hand.
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A.P.A.C. Ltd Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. BS/PYD/14
References:
A.P.A.C. Ltd. Project Design for an archaeological building survey Level I/II Pontnewydd Inn,
Pontnewydd, Cwmbran. DB:BS/PYD/14
Torfaen County
Borough Council 13/P/00398. Notification of Approval of Planning Permission
Usk Land Survey Pontnewydd Commercial Street Pontnewydd Floor Plans. 0095, March 2012.
The copyright for this report shall remain with the A.P.A.C. Ltd.
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Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran
FIG 01 Location
A.P.A.C. Ltd BS/PYD/14
Pontnewydd Inn, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran
2
1 up up
up
6 7 9
5 8 8
3
4
First Floor
Ground Floor
10
up
12 11
N
16 17
15
14 13
Basement
0 5 10 15
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: 2nd view of front elevation without passing traffic
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Detail of basement entrance, possible coach way with a three centred key-stoned arch.
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Rear elevation showing difference in width between rear extension and front building. Metal
m
stairs and platform to left possibly a fire escape..
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: West elevation, Northern extension has two entrances to the basement and an attached
m
basement stairwell cover. Additional covered veranda ( fire escape). No windows to first
floor of west gable.
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Detail of veranda and basement entrances to west elevation of northern extension.
m
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 1, fire damaged. Brick construction with plaster.
m
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 1, fire damaged. Rear room to left, hall centre and towards bathroom right. Left wall
m
plasterboard partition.
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 2 fire damaged. Plasterboard partition between 1 & ?
m
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 3, fire damaged. Probable former chimney breast to left
m
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
Object
Material
N
up
2 6 5 4
1
3
First Floor
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 8, stairwell right. At the rear, the drop to the ceiling level of room 9 can be seen
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 9, entrance right. Two iron supports to the exposed beams. Fire door to rear
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 9, looking towards room 8. Two step raise in floor level and adjoining wall
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 8, stairwell right, stairwell basement centre. Room height difference between 8 & 9
m
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 11, looking towards double doors into room 12. Brick construction concrete floor
m
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 12, front elevation beneath street level, elevated brick faced floor
m
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 12, east internal solid wall with blocked window above sink, elevated floor to right
m
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room13, blocked external door in east wall behind basin. Flag floor
m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 15, external east wall with arch. Angled wall to the right of unknown purpose. Internal
m
window to room 16 left
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 15, external west wall with blocked external door. Stairway left can be seen to extend beyond
m
building hence external lean to roof
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 16, external east wall with evidence of channel or flue for and brick chimney. Construction
m
un-coursed rubble
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 16, blocked external entrance to west wall with remains of Victorian Cast iron range and
m
internal wall chimney
Object
Material
17
16
15
up
10
11 13
12 14
Basement
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 8, east wall two windows each side of a stone hearth?, Fl0oring removed. Room height
m
approximately 3.5m
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
Object
Material
8
up
up
Ground Floor
0 5 10 15 Reason for image: Room 8, west wall, one window one double fire door. Recess to centre of rear wall. Moulded wooden
m
architrave to ceiling.
Object
Material