:Great Porthamel Farm and Gatehouse

{{Short description|Mediaeval farm and gatehouse in Talgarth, Powys, Wales}}

{{Infobox historic site

| name = Great Porthamel Farm and Gatehouse

| image = Gatehouse tower at Great Porthamel near Talgarth.JPG

| caption = The gatehouse to the fore with the farmhouse behind

| type = Gatehouse and farmhouse

| locmapin = Wales Powys

| map_relief = yes

| coordinates = {{coord|52.0088|-3.2259|display=inline,title}}

| location = Talgarth, Powys

| area =

| built = late 15th century

| architect =

| architecture = Vernacular

| governing_body = Privately owned

| designation1 = Grade I listed building

| designation1_offname = Gatehouse at Porthamel Farmhouse

| designation1_date = 28 September 1961

| designation1_number = 6641

| designation2 = Scheduled monument

| designation2_offname = Porthamel Tower

| designation2_date =

| designation2_number = BR047

| designation3 = Grade II* listed building

| designation3_offname = Great Porthamel Farmhouse

| designation3_date = 28 February 1952

| designation3_number = 6652

| designation4 = Grade II listed building

| designation4_offname = Farm building at Porthamel Farm

| designation4_date = 14 August 1995

| designation4_number = 16303

}}

The farm at Great Porthamel, at Talgarth in Powys, Wales, comprises a range of buildings including the farmhouse, the gate tower and an agricultural building. They form the remnants of a major medieval manor that was the principal seat of the Vaughan family. The complex has been described as "one of the more remarkable mediaeval houses of Wales". The gatehouse is a Grade I listed building, and a scheduled monument, while the farmhouse is listed at Grade II* and the agricultural building at Grade II.

History

The estate at Great Porthamel{{efn|There are many variants including Porthamal and Porth-Amel.}} was established by Sir William Vaughan, created the first High Sheriff of Brecknockshire in 1539.{{sfn|Scourfield|Haslam|2013|p=571}}{{efn|The Vaughans were an ancient family who claimed descent from the Princes of Powys.}} The Porthamel Vaughans, a junior branch of the Vaughans of Tretower Court, came to prominence and wealth as minor personages at the Tudor courts of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Rowland Lee, Lord President of the Marches, wrote to Thomas Cromwell that William Vaughan was “a man to be cherished”.{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s-VAUG-POR-1475|title=Vaughan family of Porthaml|publisher=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|first=Evan David|last=Jones|access-date=8 November 2022}} Sir William began building at the end of the 15th, or the early 16th centuries, and a contemporary account records the gatehouse forming the entrance to a "a strong wall-embatteled" enclosure.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=6641|desc=Gatehouse at Porthamel Farmhouse|grade=I|access-date=29 September 2021}} Cadw's Coflein record gives a date for construction of 1536.{{Coflein|num=16103|desc=Great Porthamel Gatehouse|access-date=8 November 2022}} The farmhouse also dates from this time, although reconstruction took place in the later Tudor era, including the addition of a two-storey porch.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=6652|desc=Porthamel Farmhouse|grade=II*|access-date=29 September 2021}}

Robert Scourfield and Richard Haslam, in their 2013 volume, Powys, of the Buildings of Wales series, note that much of the Porthamel enclosure had been destroyed by the 19th century.{{sfn|Scourfield|Haslam|2013|p=571}}

The farm at Porthamel is the site of an anaerobic digester,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gpbiotec.co.uk/about-us/our-history/|title=Our History|publisher=GP Biotec|access-date=8 November 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://judithteasdale.co.uk/planning-applications-and-inquiries/|title=Planning Applications and Inquiries - Great Porthamel|publisher=Judith Teasdale.co|date=26 August 2020|access-date=8 November 2022}} following a controversial, but successful, planning application in the early 21st century, which saw the development opposed by the Brecon Beacons National Park authority.{{cite web|url=https://governance.beacons-npa.gov.uk/Data/Planning,%20Access%20and%20Rights%20of%20Way/20090421/Agenda/ENC_8_item_13.pdf|title=Great Porthamel|publisher=Brecon Beacons National Park Authority|access-date=8 November 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/national-parks-challenge-green-energy-1923143|title=National park's challenge to green energy plant is hard to digest|date=12 April 2010|publisher=Wales Online|access-date=8 November 2022}}{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/8610160.stm|title=Legal challenge to green scheme|publisher=BBC Wales|date=8 April 2010|access-date=8 November 2022}}

Architecture and description

The Porthamel complex has been described as "one of the more remarkable mediaeval houses of Wales".{{cite web|url=https://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/midwye/1091.htm|website=cpat.org.uk|title=Historic Landscapes - Middle Wye|publisher=Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust|access-date=8 November 2022}} The farmhouse is of two storeys and five bays.{{sfn|Scourfield|Haslam|2013|p=571}} The tower is approximately 8m in height.{{cite web|url=http://www.gatehouse-gazetteer.info/Welshsites/73.html|author=Philip Davis|website=gatehouse-gazetteer.info|title=Porthamal Tower (The Gatehouse Record)|access-date=8 November 2022}} It has an upper chamber with stairs leading to a castellated look-out point.{{sfn|Scourfield|Haslam|2013|p=571}} It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled monument.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|uid=1715|class=SM|num=BR047|desc=Porthamel Tower||access-date=8 November 2022}} The farmhouse is listed at Grade II*, while the agricultural building is Grade II.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=16303|desc=Farm building at Porthamel Farm|grade=II|access-date=29 September 2021}}