HISTORY

Drws y Ddeugoed is generally thought to be one of the oldest properties in the area due to its sheltered position in a natural amphitheatre.

Mentioned in The Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments Wales and Monmouthshire, the entry reads ‘now a beudy, a house of this name fell down ca. 1663’.  Tyddyn Deugoed was built shortly after.
Porth yr Aur Add MSS 17,227-17,273 under 26 April 1698 (UCNW Library)(GTR)

It is known that John Wesley, 1703 to 1791, the founder of the Methodist Church, held illicit prayer meetings here due to the private situation and its hidden aspect from the nearest lane.

In the eighteenth century, Drws y Ddeugoed was owned by the Maurice family and was a working farm having at least 80 acres of arable land.  At this time the yard was the centre of activity and would have been knee deep in mud with the passage and holding of the farms livestock.

Pigs would have been an important source of meat and income, housed in three sites situated off the yard.  Geese also would have also added to the food source and three original, individual pens, constructed under the garden wall can still be seen.

Part of the upper bedroom in Tyddyn Ddeugoed, was originally the Shepherd’s sleeping quarters which would have been shared with his dog.

The original outbuildings of Drws y Ddeugoed housed corn grinding stones.  These stones were rotated by horse power.  A tread mill was constructed by a shaft through the back wall to the stones which provided a milling service to all of the local farming community.

The property also boasted its own water supply, a 36ft deep well with the water pumped to the surface by a large hand pump.

In the early 20th century Drws y Ddeugoed was amalgamated with a large nearby farm and although the house was kept in good repair, Tyddyn Ddeugoed and the out buildings fell into disrepair.  Renovation has been ongoing since the 1980’s.