Tregroes aka Pencoed College

Tregroes, also known as Pencoed College, is a large symmetrical house dating from the mid-19th century. It is constructed with coursed masonry, stone dressings, and an asbestos-slate roof. The building has a symmetrical ten-window entrance front, topped by a central gable and hipped roof, and an L-shaped plan extending over two storeys. A pronounced sandstone modillion eaves cornice runs around the building. A central stack rises from the roof, alongside a gable stack to the rear wing. The main doorway is framed by double doors with recessed panels, flanked by five windows on each side on the upper storey and three windows on the lower storey, with a pair of French doors completing the ground floor. An ornate, glass-roofed veranda, supported on eight columns, extends across the front. A recessed sandstone tablet bearing the Thomas family crest – a lamb and flag – is set into the gable. The window openings have stone sills and flat arched heads with voussoirs, and contain sashes with margin glazing in wooden frames that feature decorated heads.

The east front has six twelve-pane sash windows with stone sills and flat arched heads, with two late 20th-century doors. A plain six-column veranda, with a glass or PVCu roof, stands before it. Four irregularly placed sash windows are on the upper storey; all have twelve panes, except for a central window with sixteen panes. There are two small windows to the left on each floor. A low, single-story range, now used for toilets, runs along the east side, aligning with the southern front. A second single-story range is to the rear (north) of the wing and likely dates to the 20th century.

The rear of the house features twelve-pane sash windows with voussoir heads, as well as three late 20th-century doors, likely conversions of former windows. A stone-dressed, mullioned stair-light window with a transom and a relieving arch of voussoirs is located to the rear of the main range, overlooking the staircase. The west wall of the main range has a panelled door, a blocked window to the left, and a small window beyond, along with a sash window to the upper storey. Cast iron rainwater goods are marked with the date 1864 and the letter T.

Interior details largely reflect a remodelling from 1864. The house has a central entrance hall with a rear staircase, with rooms leading off to the left and right. The dog-leg staircase features ornate turned balusters and a moulded oak handrail. A segmental archway leads to the stairwell, and the rear stair-light contains stained glass. To the left of the staircase is a large stone fireplace under a moulded four-centred arch displaying the Thomas family crest. Other details include ornate plaster coving, dado rails, panelled doors, and shutters.