Penally House

Penally House is a large house believed to have been built in the 1840s, though it was not documented on the 1841 Tithe Survey. In the late 19th century, it was the first house in Pembrokeshire to have electric lighting, installed by the owner, Mr C Williams, who also electrified the local church. The house is now the Penally Manor House Hotel.

The house is constructed of rendered and painted rubble masonry, with slate roofs and tile ridges. It has rendered clustered chimneys, ornamental bargeboards and finials. The overall design is asymmetrical, with two storeys and an attic. The main block runs east to west; the gable end of this block forms the focal point of the east-facing garden elevation. The house is oriented to take advantage of views over Carmarthen Bay. Three gabled roofs are on the south side, creating a three-gable entrance front, while two gabled roofs are on the north side. The garden front features a large central gable with a canted bay window on the ground floor, its awning-like roof with scalloped eaves extending forward on brackets. French doors give access to a garden staircase, currently under restoration. A two-light mullioned and transomed window with a drop-ended hood-mould is located above the ground-floor entrance, with similar windows in the flanking bays; an oriel window is positioned on the first floor to the right.

The entrance front consists of three gables, with a central doorway leading to an internal porch featuring a scalloped Tudor arch and double doors of a Tudor profile. The right-hand gable has a full-height canted bay window on the ground floor with small-paned sashes, and four-pane sashes above. Oriel windows are located on the first floor above the doorway and to the left. Leaded windows around the entrance and on the west elevation, above the stairs, are likely from the early 20th century.

Octagonal corner turrets terminate the front and garden elevations, with those on the garden front rising to decorative finials.

Inside, the entrance lobby features a ribbed ceiling. Glazed doors with Tudor heads lead to a room on the left and to a corridor on the right. A fine L-shaped staircase has a closed string, turned balusters, a moulded handrail, and Gothic newels with turned finials. The soffit of the stairs and the upper landing are ribbed. The front rooms on either side are decorated in a Gothic style. At the rear, facing the garden, is a contrasting Georgian room with a fireplace featuring marble inserts. Walls and ceilings are decorated with decorative plasterwork.

The house was originally listed for its Tudor style, notable frontages to the approach road and garden, and good interiors.