Penrhos Court at Lyonshall is about a mile from Kington and dates from the 15th century. Additions to the original farmhouse were made in the 16th and 17th centuries, and it was much restored in later centuries.
There is a glorious banqueting hall with a minstrels gallery and crux beams.
| Title | Penrhos Court, near Kington Penrhos Court is now a hotel. See: http://www.penrhos.co.uk/ |
| Photo’s author | Philip Halling User stats Author’s photos |
| License |
Penrhos Court fell into severe disrepair but in 1971 Martin Griffiths and Daphne Lambert bought it and painstakingly restored the buildings, turning the Court into a hotel that became the first in this country to gain the Soil Association Symbol.
There have been many celebrities using Penrhos Court as a bolthole, and Queen spent a fortnight there rehearsing A Night at the Opera – an album which included Bohemian Rhapsody
During his time at the Court, Martin Griffiths co founded the Penrhos Micro Brewery with Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) which opened on 16th July 1977, and which was fairly successful locally, but certain events forced the brewery to close in 1983.
Penrhos Court was sold in 2012, and the new owner spent a great deal of time improving the buildings and surroundings before selling it on again in 2015. It is now, like so many other country houses, a venue for weddings.
F.S. Blakely
Going back in time, Penrhos Court was owned in the 19th century by Mr. F.S. Blakely, a farmer with a love of horses, and who bred not only thoroughbreds for the race track but also the glorious Clydesdales. I suspect that once he became successful with his stallions he concentrated on these rather than general farming.
Possibly his most famous and celebrated stallion was Lochinvar (or Young Lochinvar) – the son of Languar out of Marciana. He was a beautiful red chestnut, standing at 16 hands with short legs, immense bone and muscular power. He was described as being unequalled and was frequently advertised for stud duties, for the price of five guineas for thoroughbred mares, and two guineas for half bred mares. Grooms fee was 2s 6d.
Lochinvar was sold on in 1856 to H.D.T. Grewecke of Portway Cottage near Kington.
Mr. Blakely also had another stallion, Bubastes – sire Blacklock, dam by Whisker out of Miss Cranfield. This bay horse stood sixteen and a half hands high, and had a good temperament; his progeny regularly won flat races around the country.
1851 – Penrhos Court Household
| Frederick Blakely | 35 | Farmer | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Mary Ann Blakely | 27 | Wife | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Charles Blakely | 2 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Richard Germain | 21 | Wagoner | b. Old Radnor, Wales |
| George Baysham | 17 | Cowman | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Matilda Davos | 24 | Cook | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Mary Ganner | 16 | Housemaid | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
1861 – Penrhos Court Household
| Frederick Blakely | 44 | Retired Farmer | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Mary Ann Blakely | 36 | Wife | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
| Charles Frederick Blakeley | 12 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| William Blakely | 8 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Alfred Noble Blakely | 3 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Augustus George Blakely | 4 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Jane Wolf | 14 | House Servant | b. Kington, Herefordshire |
1871 – Penrhos Court Household
| Edward Jones | 40 | Farmer | b. Shropshire |
| Ester Ann | 43 | Wife | b. Herefordshire |
| Hedley | 8 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Sidney | 2 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Esther Ann | 4 | Daughter | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Elizabeth Watching | 39 | Cook | b. Abbeydore, Herefordshire |
| Charlotte Gough | 18 | General Servant | b. Radnorshire |
| John Jones | 19 | Farm Servant | b. Radnorshire |
1881 – Penrhos Court Household
| Edward Jones | 50 | Farmer | b. Wales |
| Margaret Jones | 33 | Wife | b. Herefordshire |
| Emily Jones | 19 | Daughter | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Hedley J. Jones | 17 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Howard H. Jones | 15 | Son | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| John Price | 55 | Indoor farm servant | b. Knighton, Herefordshire |
| Sarah Dalley | 17 | Domestic Servant | b. Herefordshire |
| Page Traylor (?) | 14 | Indoor farm servant | b. Herefordshire |
The following family appear on both the 1891 and 1901 censuses in Lyonshall, but their address is given as “New House”. Although I can find no sign of a Penrhos Court, I cannot assume that it is one and the same building.
1911 – Penrhos Court Household
| Thomas Boore | 80 | Farmer | b. Radnorshire |
| Mary Ann Boore | 66 | Wife | b. Radnorshire |
| Whittaker Boore | 39 | Son working on farm | b. Radnorshire |
| Phoebe Boore | 35 | Daughter, working at home | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Arthur Boore | 33 | Son working on farm | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| James Boore | 31 | Son working on farm | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
| Herbert Boore | 29 | Son working on farm | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire |
1921 – Penrhos Court Household
| Mary Ann Boors | b. Radnorshire, Wales 1845 | Head, House Duties |
| Whitaker Boors | b. Radnorshire, Wales | Son, Farmer |
| Phoebe Boors | b. Lyonshall, Herefordshire 1871 | Daughter, Home Duties |
| Arthur Boors | b.Lyonshall, Herefordshire | Son, own account |
| James Boors | b. Herefordshire 1878 | Son |