Hergest Court

Image: © Philip Halling Taken: 30 Dec 2006

Hergest Court is situated just to the south-west of the border town of Kington and its connection with Black Vaughan of Kington is thought to have provided inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Hound of the Baskervilles. For more information see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/features/2004/04/hound.shtml The building is Grade II* listed. Historic England description Manor house, now farmhouse and sub-divided into two tenements. Reputed to have been built c1430 for Thomas Vaughan; on the site of an earlier house but largely remodelled during the C17 and C18 and further altered during the C20. Part sandstone rubble and part close-studded timber framing with wattle and daub infill, part shingle clad (to south-east side) Welsh slate roof. L-plan with wings aligned south-west/north-east and north-west/south-east adjoining to north-east, entrance and stair turret in angle of L, lateral and end stacks. Two storeys with cellars and attics. Entrance front: shingle clad face of wing to left with one 3-light casement window to right; two 3-light casements windows to ground floor, stair turret projects in angle to right with one single-light and one 2-light casement window below to left return, below the gable of the stair turret is a pro- jection with a lean-to roof, this has a 2-light casement window to the left return and has a stone doorway with a two-centred head and chamfered jambs. This is obscured by a C20 lean-to porch, the stone south-west face of the second wing to the right has two 3-light casement windows. The close-studded timber-framing is revealed to the north-west front. Interior: the south-west wing retains sections of late C16 or early C17 panelling with a decorative enriched frieze to the panelling in an upper room. The early C17 staircase has decorative splat balusters, square moulded newels with shaped terminals and moulded handrails. The interior of the south-east wing was not inspected but the RCHM mentions a stone fireplace of c1500. The Welsh bard Lewis Glyn Cothi described the court as having eight strong buildings. These were demolished during the C18. It is also reputed that the "Red Book of Hergest" was found here from which the Mabinogion were compiled. The court was originally surrounded by a moat. (RCHM, Vol III, p 94). Source: https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1081747

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