34 HUNTINGTON (A.d.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)XVII, S.W., (b)XXIV, N.W.)
Huntington is a parish on the W. border of the
county, 4 m. S.W. of Kington. Huntington Castle
and Turret Castle, both mount and bailey earthworks,
are the principal monuments.
Ecclesiastical
a(1). Parish Church of St. Thomas of Canterbury stands on the N.W. side of the parish. The walls
are of local limestone rubble, with dressings of the
same material; the roofs are covered with slates and
shingles. The church, consisting of Chancel and Nave,
was built in the 13 th or at latest in the 14th century.
The bell-turret and framing were inserted early in the
17th century. The church was restored in 1892, and
the South Porch is modern.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (20 ft. by
16¾ ft.) has a 13th-century E. window of two plain
lancet-lights. In the N. wall is a 14th-century window
of one trefoiled ogee light; further W. is a modern
organ-recess. In the S. wall is a 16th or early 17th-century window of two plain square-headed lights.
There is no chancel-arch.
The Church, Plan
The Nave (37 ft. by 16½ ft.) has, in the N. wall, two
windows, the eastern modern except perhaps for the
splays; the western window is of uncertain date and
of one square-headed light. In the S. wall is a two-light window, entirely modern externally; the 14th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head. The square timber-framed bell-cote, at
the W. end of the nave, stands on four moulded posts
with modern braces to the cross-beam and exposed
timber-framing above.
Fittings—Bells: two; 1st by I. G. (John Palmer's
foreman), 1671; 2nd by Isaac Hadley, 1703. Brackets:
On external face of E. wall, S. of window, two shaped
corbel-brackets, 1½ ft. apart. Floor-slab: In nave—to
Thomas James, 1713 (?). Font: octagonal bowl with
curved undersides, set diagonally on octagonal stem,
probably 14th-century, base modern. Plate: includes
two Elizabethan cups and cover-patens without dateletters, and a pewter flagon and plate. Seating: In nave—
nine benches with moulded or trefoiled heads to bench-ends, probably 16th-century, E. bench incorporating
moulded 17th-century panels. Sundial: On S.E. angle
of nave—with initials and date I.P. 1639.
Condition—Good.
Secular
a(2). Huntington Castle (Plate 5), earthwork and
ruins, ¼ m. N. of the church. The castle was in the possession of the families of Braose, Bohun, and Stafford
during the Middle Ages. Some evidence has survived
of the former buildings of the castle (Arch. Camb. 1869)
and repairs were made to several in 1403 when a new
ditch with palisading was made to the pond (vivarium)
and barn; this perhaps refers to the enclosure of the
outer bailey. In 1460 the castle was returned as worth
nothing, which presumably indicates that it had then
been abandoned. In 1521, however, one tower was
still used as a prison. The Earthworks consist of a
motte with an oval-shaped inner bailey to the N.E.;
the whole is surrounded by a ditch except on the W.
side where it is replaced by a berm, the natural scarp
being very steep. There is an outer bank to the ditch
on the S. and S.E. and traces also on the E. The outer
bailey, to the N.E., forms a crescent-shaped enclosure
with double scarping on the S. side and a ditch to the
E. and N. The motte rises some 30 ft. above the
level of the bailey and is about 124 ft. in diameter at
the base. The inner bailey is approached by a causeway
on the E. side which probably marks the site of the
former gatehouse. The bailey was enclosed by a
curtain-wall apparently carried up the motte on both
sides; foundations of this wall remain in most of the
circuit and one fragment some 20 ft. high is still standing
on the W. side. Towards the N. are the remains of a
tower with a rounded outer face and part of a small
chamber in the adjoining curtain-wall on the E. This
chamber has traces of a window and two small recesses
in the W. wall. In the S. part of the tower are remains
of a descending staircase or corridor. The tower
appears to be of the 13th century.
Condition—Of earthworks, fairly good.
a(3). Turret Castle, remains of mount and bailey
earthwork in Hell Wood, 980 yards E. of the church.
The proximity of this earthwork to Huntington Castle
and the known later occupation of the latter, seem to
imply the priority in date of Turret Castle. The work
occupies the base of a spur, running out towards the
E., and consists of a circular motte with an irregular
shaped bailey to the E. of it. The motte is about 52
yards in diameter at the base and rises some 29 ft. above
the bottom of the ditch between it and the bailey. The
bailey has remains of a rampart and also a ditch between
it and the spur to the E. The entrance is on this side
and it is possible that the remainder of the spur formed
an outer enclosure.
Condition—Of motte, fairly good; of bailey, poor.
Monuments (4–14)
The following monuments, unless otherwise
described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys,
timber-framed and with tile, slate or stone-covered
roofs. Some of the buildings have exposed timber-framing and ceiling-beams.
Condition—Good or fairly good.
b(4). Upper Hengoed, house, 1,600 yards S.S.W. of the
church, is built of rubble and has an addition at the W.
end.
b(5). House and barn, 60 yards E.N.E. of (4). The
House has been re-faced in stone. The Barn, S.W. of
the house, is of three bays, weather-boarded.
b(6). Barn, at Lower Hengoed, 1 m. S. of the church,
is of one storey and of four bays, weather-boarded.
b(7). Hall's Mill, house, 380 yards E. of (6), is of
stone.
b(8). Outbuilding, at Burnt Hengoed, nearly 1¼ m.
S.E. of the church, adjoins the N.E. end of the house.
It was built probably in the 15th century and has
remains of three crutch-trusses. It was subsequently
divided into two storeys. The crutch-trusses have
collar-beams with curved braces.
b(9). Little Penlan, house and barn, in the S.E. corner
of the parish, 980 yards E.S.E. of (8). The House was
built probably in the 15th century, to which date belong
the S.W. part of the main block and the S.W. cross-wing. Late in the 16th or early in the 17th century
the main block was divided into two storeys and the
N.E. part reconstructed or extended; the cattle-shed,
forming a N.E. cross-wing, is of uncertain date. The
upper storey projected on the three free sides of the
S.W. wing, but has been under-built on most of two
sides. The central block has an added gable on the
N.E. front. There are two large 17th-century chimneystacks at the back. Inside the building, parts of two
crutch-trusses are visible, and there is a doorway with a
four-centred head.
The Barn, S. of the house, is of three bays, weather-boarded.
b(10). Great Penlan, outbuilding, formerly house, 370
yards N.N.E. of (9), has been re-faced in stone. The
middle part of the building is of mediæval date and has
three crutch-trusses; it was divided into two storeys,
probably in the 17th century. Inside the building is a
re-used moulded and embattled beam of the 15th
century.
Huntington Castle
a(11). Penlan, house, 720 yards S.S.E. of the church,
has been partly re-faced in brick and stone. It is of
L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the
N. and E. The N. wing is of mediæval origin and has
remains of crutch-trusses; the E. wing is an addition
of the 17th century as are the outbuildings forming an
extension of the N. wing. In the original part of the
house is a doorway with a shaped head, perhaps
original.
a(12). Swan Inn, 300 yards N. of the church, is built
of stone. The E. wing and the N. end are later
extensions.
a(13). Lower House, house and barn, 340 yards N.N.E.
of the church. The House was built perhaps late in the
16th century but was much altered, partly faced in stone
and the main block heightened in the 18th century.
The Barn, N.E. of the house, is partly of stone.
a(14). Lodge Farm, house, 1,460 yards E. of the
church, was built of stone, probably early in the 18 th
century.
Unclassified
b(15). Mound, Turret Tump (Plate 5), 1,470 yards S.
of the church, occupies the top of a knoll (916 ft.).
The mound is roughly circular, 86 ft. in diameter at
the base and 16½ ft. high. There are remains of a ditch,
with an outer bank, on the S. side.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(16). Mound, on the S. edge of the parish, 550
yards S.S.E. of (15), occupies a slight natural knoll
(790 ft. above O.D.). The mound is of oval form and
partly natural. It is about 42 yards across, and rises
about 9 ft. above the ground behind.
Condition—Fairly good.