Tal-y-coed Court

{{Infobox historic site

| name = Tal-y-Coed Court

| image = Lodge at the entrance to Tal-y-Coed Court, Tal-y-Coed (geograph 7084376).jpg

| caption = The gatehouse to Tal-y-coed Court

| type = House

| locmapin = Wales Monmouthshire

| map_relief = yes

| coordinates = {{coord|51.8325|-2.84126|display=inline,title}}

| location = Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern, Monmouthshire

| area =

| built = 1881

| architect = F. R. Kempson

| architecture = British Queen Anne Revival

| governing_body = Privately owned

| designation1 = Grade II* listed building

| designation1_offname = Tal-y-coed Court

| designation1_date = 6 January 1988

| designation1_number = 2787

| designation2 = Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales

| designation2_free1name = Listing

| designation2_free1value = Grade II*

| designation2_offname = Talycoed Court

| designation2_date = 1 February 2022

| designation2_number = PGW(Gt)52(Mon)

| designation3 = Grade II listed building

| designation3_offname = Former Stables & Clock House

| designation3_date = 6 January 1988

| designation3_number = 2788

| designation4 = Grade II listed building

| designation4_offname = Lodge at Main Entrance to Tal-y-coed Court

| designation4_date = 6 January 1988

| designation4_number = 2790

| designation5 = Grade II listed building

| designation5_offname = Gatepiers, Piers and Walls at Main Entrance to Tal-y-coed Court

| designation5_date = 27 October 2000

| designation5_number = 24324

}}

Tal-y-coed Court,, Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern, Monmouthshire, Wales, is a Victorian country house. Constructed in 1881–1883, it was built for the Monmouthshire antiquarian Joseph Bradney, author of A History of Monmouthshire from the Coming of the Normans into Wales down to the Present Time. A Grade II* listed building, the house is a "fine historicist essay in the Queen Anne Style, one of the earliest examples in Wales." Its gardens and park are designated Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

History

Colonel Sir Joseph Alfred Bradney, FSA, BA, JP, DL was a soldier who acquired the estate at Tal-y-Coed through purchase and inheritance. In 1881, aged 22, he commissioned F. R. Kempson to build the house{{sfn|Newman|p=297-8}} on the site of Llanvihangel Hall, which had been part of the estate of Crawshay Bailey.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=2787|desc=Tal-y-coed Court|grade=II*|access-date=13 June 2019}}

The house cost £10,000, reflecting Bradney's status as High Sheriff of Monmouthshire.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=2787|desc=Tal-y-coed Court|grade=II*|access-date=13 June 2019}}

The court, and its stables, are now sub-divided into a number of private residences.{{cite web|url=http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32979030.html |title=3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Talycoed, MONMOUTH, NP25 |publisher=Rightmove.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2016-11-27}} The stables and clock tower are designated Grade II,{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=2788|desc=Former Stables & Clock House|grade=II|access-date=13 June 2019}} as is the lodge at the entrance to the court.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=2790|desc=Lodge at Main Entrance to Tal-y-coed Court|grade=II|access-date=13 June 2019}} A project is underway (2019) to restore an elaborate horse trough constructed for Bradney on the road from Llantilio Crossenny to Monmouth.{{cite web|url=http://www.villagealivetrust.org.uk/|title=Village Alive Trust|website=Village Alive Trust|accessdate=9 June 2019}} The trough also has a Grade II listing.{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=24325|desc=Drinking Trough and Wall opposite Main Entrance Gateway to Tal-y-coed Court|grade=II|access-date=13 June 2019}} The court's parkland is recorded as a "small late 19th century park and terraced garden".{{cite web|url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/talycoed-court|title=Talycoed Court|author=Parks and Gardens UK|website=Parks & Gardens|accessdate=13 June 2019}}

Description

The house is in a Queen Anne style,{{sfn|Newman|p=297-8}} which John Newman describes as "not at all what one would expect in South Wales at that date."{{sfn|Newman|p=297-8}} It is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings and a brick plinth.{{cite web|url=http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/20877/details/tal-y-coed-court-tal-y-coed-llantilio-crossenny |title=Tal-Y-Coed Court, Tal-Y-Coed, Llantilio Crossenny |publisher=Coflein |date= |accessdate=2016-11-27}} Of five bays, it has a large, hipped roof with "lofty dormer windows and high chimneystacks."{{sfn|Newman|p=297-8}} The interior is "virtually intact and (...) of exceptionally high quality".{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num=2787|desc=Tal-y-coed Court|grade=II*|access-date=13 June 2019}} The gardens and park, laid out by Bradney in the late 19th century, are designated Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.{{NHAW|uid=305|num=PGW(Gt)52(MON)|desc=Talycoed Court|class=HPG|access-date=6 February 2023}}