Panta Cottage

Overview

Panta House is sadly no longer in existence, apart from some ruined low walls which are overgrown in a thicket. I’ve indicated the location of the ruins on the map. It was probably built in the 1700s and situated down a footpath, that starts at Poplar Cottages, next to a small wood (Pantau Bushes).

The name of the house as written in censuses varied from “Panta” (1841, 1891) “Panta House” (1851, 1861), “Panty” (1871, 1881, 1901) to Pantau in 1911 and “Panta Cottage” in I’ve known it as Panta House (since that was the given name when my ancestors, John, Sarah and Henry James Pitt lived there), although I suspect a more correct Welsh name would be “Pantau House”, named after Pantau Bushes). It was known as Panta Cottage from 1922.

House layout

The 1901 census records inform us that the cottage contained at least five rooms.

I received a lovely email from Sandra Curtis, the grand-daughter of the last residents that I know of (Ada and Evan Mainwaring). She knew the house as “Panta Cottage” and described it as follows:

“The cottage was a two up two down, you walked in through the front door straight into the main room, which had a range, kitchen to the rear. Upstairs was accessed via a winding stone staircase to two bedrooms.

There was no bathroom, water was collected from the stream, which was a job for the boys. The toilet was at the bottom of the garden.

The cottage had a bank of ferns to the side with a stream between the house and bank of ferns.

To visit my grandparents we used to walk from Little Mill to the road opposite Parke Davis and across fields to Panta Cottage.”

Facts and Figures

Location

Here you see the present day location of Panta Cottage courtesy of Google maps.

The property is now a ruin, just some low walls within woodland, although it can be accessed by walking along the footpath from the Poplar cottages, which are now known as “The Lilacs” and “The Poplars.”

The postal code for the neighbouring properties is NP4 0TX.

Residents

The occupations of the various residents probably give a clue as to the status of the house: from 1841: “Agricultural labourer”, “Labourer”, “Master stone mason”, “Railway store keeper”, “Labourer” (who became a “Railway Platelayer”) and a “Pickler at Galvanise Works”.

The Holloway family

In 1841, the residents were the Holloways – James and Mary. Both were aged approximately 50 at the time of the census.

James was actually born around 1793 at Tintern and was listed as an agricultural labourer on the 1841 census. Mary was born around 1791 at Treleck in Monmouthshire.

Also at Panta House were James and Mary’s son the 30 year old Edward, a 30 year old agricultural labourer named James Morgan and a 10 year old lad called William Forty – also an agricultural labourer. William Forty was later named as one of the Glascoed rioters in 1861.

By 1851 James and Mary Holloway had moved to Cwmoody, Llanfihangel Pontymoile. James was working as a “Wood cutter.” William Forty was still living with the Holloways as a lodger and still working as an agricultural labourer.

James died in July 1859 and was buried at Llanfihangel Pontymoile on 20th July.

We find Mary still living at Cwmoody on the 1861 census, this time alone. Mary died in December 1868 and buried with her husband at Pontymoile. Her residence was still Cwmoody cottage.

Edward and Mary Holloway:

Edward married his wife Mary (I don’t know her maiden name, although we do know her Christian name) around 1845. Edward’s significant ladies were therefore both named Mary.

Edward and Mary’s first daughter, Hannah Holloway, was born at Glascoed (perhaps at Panta Cottage?) in the summer of 1846 and baptised on 9th August 1846 at Llanfihangel Pontymoile church. So far I’ve found that Hannah later had a daughter, “out of wedlock” named Fanny, baptised at Llanfrechfa church on 24th August 1869. Fanny’s father was not named on the certificate, but was said to be a “servant”.

Their second child was also born at Glascoed (again quite possibly at Panta Cottage), was named Eliza and baptised at Llanfihangel Pontymoile church on 5th March 1848. She had at least two children out of wedlock – One was named Clara (baptised on 9th December 1867 at Llanfrechfa church) – Clara’s father was also un-named and was said to be a “servant”. Clara was found on the 1881 census with her Uncle John and grandfather, Edward, who was now a widower (still a “Woodman” at Twyn Celin 1, Panteg). Her next child was also baptised (on 19th September 1870) at Llanfrechfa, although by now Eliza was living at Croes-y-Ceiliog (not far away). He was Arthur Holloway. His father was “unknown”.

Edward and Mary had moved from Glascoed by 1850, when their third child, Thomas was baptised at Llanfrechfa (7th July 1850). The 1851 census shows Edward working as a “Woodward”, and living with Mary at Lower Llanfrechfa. They had two further children while living at Llanfrechfa Lower (Edwin, baptised 25th April 1852 and John baptised 28th January 1855). John at least continued the family tradition of working as a woodman, as seen on the 1881 census. I haven’t yet looked any further into this family.

Mary died at Panteg in August 1879 and was buried at Llanfrechfa church on 17th August 1879.

Edward died at Panteg 8 years later, aged 76 at New Inn. He was buried with Mary at Llanfrechfa on 17th October 1888.

I wonder whether the Holloways were related to John Holloway of Cwm House, who died after being bitten by a rabid dog in 1847. I assume there must be some link, but you know what they say about assumptions…

Joseph and Patience Lewis and family

The next residents that I have a record for were the Lewis family, who were certainly at Panta Cottage at the time of the 1851 census. Joseph and Patience were the parents with two sons and four daughters. They were from Cwmcarvan (Joseph) and Penallt (Patience). Fuller details of their history can be found on the “Names” database. They were married on 9th June 1834 at Llanishen Parish Church and their first three children were all born at Cwmcarvan: Edwin (bap 1st Feb 1835), Maria (bap 14 Feb 1836 and buried 8th Oct 1838 at Cwmcarvan also) and Emma (born c. 1837). Their son, Joseph was baptised at Abersychan Parish church on 18th March 1840, Talywain, as a very young baby, but died aged only 10 days.

They lived in the communities of Croesyceiliog, Llanfrechfa and Panteg (briefly) before moving to Glascoed. They moved back to Croesyceiliog and Llanfrechfa after leaving Glascoed (which I estimate to be in the mid or possibly even late 1850s). Joseph’s occupation was always listed as “labourer” apart from in 1857 when he was listed as a woodcutter at the time of Edwin’s marriage to Margaret Lewis at Llanfihangel Pontymoile. This is the same trade as the previous residents, the Holloways. I wonder whether they did some of their cutting at Pantau bushes – or whether they had anything to do with Panta Cottage’s orchard?

Two more children were baptised at Llanfrechfa before the move to Glascoed. Jane (born c. 1848/49),Mary Ann (born c 1852) and Ellen (born late 1855 or early 1856) were all born at Glascoed. I’m not sure whether this was at Panta Cottage or another Glascoed property. See the Pitt entry below for more thoughts on this.

The Lewis family were certainly at Pontnewydd by the 1861 census, when the Pitt family could be found at Panta Cottage. Joseph was an agricultural labourer at this point. He sadly died in March 1862 at Croesyceiliog. Interestingly their son John, at the age of 15, was baptised just 12 days after the death of his father, at a neighbouring church (Llandegveth). His two youngest sisters followed suit within two years.

John and Sarah Pitt and family

John Pitt and Sarah Davies had been living nearby at the time of the 1851 census and were both “outsiders” .. Sarah had been born at Llansawel, Carmarthenshire (a welsh speaker) and was working as a 22 year old General servant at Coed-y-Cadno farm in Llanfihangel Pontymoile. John Pitt was also living at Llanfihangel Pontymoile on Court farm … my theory is that John would have been working as a mason on the railway which was being built right in between Coed-y-Cadno and Court farms … The romantic in me believes that they may well have liked the look of each other as John worked on the railway and Sarah worked on the farm. Or perhaps they met each other at the local public house – the “Horse and Jockey” where John was certainly a customer (as evidenced in this newspaper report from 1852). They married at St. Woolos’ church (now the cathedral) on 25th June 1853. The certificate stated that they were living at St. Woolos. Why did they marry at St. Woolos and not at a more local church like Pontymoile? It may have something to do with Sarah being pregnant – to avoid local gossips putting two and two together between their marriage date and the birth of their first child seven months later? Or perhaps John (or Sarah) was working at Newport – my strong suspicion is that he worked on the railways as a Mason.

I would imagine that the change-over in tenancy at Panta Cottage would have been from the Lewis family to the Pitt family. It’s just a question of when. The firm date we know they had changed by was 7th April 1861, census night. The final Lewis born at Glascoed (according to the 1861 census and BMD registers) was Ellen – born in either Oct-Dec Quarter 1855 or the following Quarter Jan-Mar 1856.

All of the Pitt children were born at Glascoed. John and Sarah’s first child, Sarah Ellen Pitt was born on 1st February 1854 at Glascoed. – starting on 1st February 1854. So either the Lewises had moved to a different property by this point, or the Pitts first lived elsewhere on coming to the village as newly-weds.

John was a Master Stone Mason according to the 1861 census and I know that by the 1860s he was working as a jobbing builder, as evidenced by some of the local reports.

I believe that John and the family had moved to Rose Cottage at some point between the census around 1862. You can read plenty more about the Pitt family elsewhere on this site, including the Rose Cottage page and their own biographies.

James and Charlotte Edins and family

By 1871, James and Charlotte Edins (or Eddins) had moved in. James was a railway store keeper from Cradley in Herefordshire and aged 29 (8 years younger than his wife, Charlotte, whose maiden name was Bayton). James’ mother Elizabeth, was with the family at this point – a 67 year old widow. Charlotte’s son from her first marriage, Edward Thomas, was living as James’ stepson.

The Edins family had moved on again by the 1881 census, to Cwm Soar – just down the lane. Edward was still with them along with a nephew, William Jones, from Glamorgan. Charlotte must have died between 1881 and 1891, since James Edins was with Martha Meredith of Sunny Bank Cottage, for the rest of the census period. They declared themselves to be married on the 1891 census, although didn’t actually get married until the final quarter of 1891.

Henry and Hannah Preston and family

The Preston family had moved in by the 1881 census. Henry Preston was a 37 year old labourer from Staunton in Worcestershire. His wife, Hannah was 9 years his junior. They had four children between the ages of 7 and 1, all born at Glascoed on this 1881 return, so it’s likely that they moved to Glascoed after their marriage at Goytre on 22nd April 1873. Henry also appeared on the 1889 Register of Electors. None of the other residents appear to have been wealthy enough to be able to vote under the previous voting rules, but the Electoral reforms of 1884 must have extended voting rights to the likes of Henry Preston. Women would not get the vote until 1918 of course. The Prestons actually stayed at the cottage for the 1891 census and beyond, which was a rarity for Panta’s residents.

Eli and Mary Ann Williams and family

Eli Albert Williams (born 1866, in the Pontypool Registration District) and his wife Mary Ann (nee Bassett) had married on Christmas Eve 1888, at Llanfihangel Pontymoile church. They had at least 11 children and the their first 6 children were born at New Inn. We can tell from the birth dates of the children that the Williams family moved to Glascoed somewhere between 1896 and 1898, I assume directly to Panta Cottage.

Eli was a Pickler at the Galvanizing works. They were certainly at Panta Cottage for the 1901 census on 2nd April 1901.

1911: Uninhabited

On census night 1911, Panta Cottage was uninhabited.

The Register of Electors records for 1909 also show no records of a person living at the cottage, although it may just be that the resident was female, and unable to vote at that time. Women were given the right to vote in the UK in 1918.

Harold and Elizabeth Baker and family

The Bakers appear at “Panta” on the 1921 census. They were:

Harold, the Head of the Household and a 30 year old Farm labourer working at Trostra Farm, for Mr Boulton. Harold had been born at Orcop in Herefordshire.

Elizabeth, Harold’s wife. Elizabeth was two years younger than Harold. She was born in Abergavenny and the census tells us that she was occupied with “household duties.”

They had three children, Frances Annie aged 5 years and 9 months (Born in Orcop, Herefordshire) Gwendoline Kate aged 2 years and 3 months and Thomas Harold, aged 1 month. Gwendoline and Thomas had both been born in Glascoed.

We can conclude from this that the Bakers probably moved to Panta between the Autumn of 1915 and the Spring of 1919.

Harold and Elizabeth also appeared on the 1922 Register of Electors at “Panta Cottage”.

Evan and Ada Mainwaring and family

I first heard the name Mainwaring in conversation with a neighbour from the Poplar cottages, which is detailed below. They were certainly there at the time of the 1929 Register of Electors, where interestingly it is now described as “Panta Cottage”.

Evan was born on 28^th May 1869 in Cwmdu, Breconshire, the son of farmers. He continued to live there for much of his childhood being certainly still at Cwmdu with his family in 1881 at the time of the census. Evan moved to Monmouthshire with his parents in the 1880s or early 1890s. They were living together in Llantilio Pertholey in 1891, and then at Goytre, in 1911.

Ada Mainwaring was born Ada Preece on 9^th October 1887. She married Evan Mainwaring in the Summer of 1916 (Jul-Sep Quarter). They had four children, three boys and one girl. Their children were all born in the Pontypool registration district:

Basil Evan Mainwaring, born in 1917.
Ernest Thomas Mainwaring, born in 1919.
Estelle Ada Mainwaring, born in 1921 and
William George Mainwaring, born in 1923. William was the grandfather of my contact, Sandra Curtis.

Evan and Ada were still at the Cottage in 1939, as evidenced by the 1939 National Register.

Evan died in October 1947, and was buried at Glascoed churchyard on 25^th October 1947.

I have a copy of the 1959 to 1960 Electoral Register which shows that Ada and her son, Ernest were living at Panta Cottage at the time that the Register was compiled. I believe that Ada and Ernest moved on in 1959. Electoral Registers from 1960 show that Ada went initially to live at Entrance House in Croesyceiliog before moving to 52 Berthon Road, New Inn in 1964. Ada died in early 1965.

Ernest married Evelyn Doreen Holvey in the Summer of 1959. She was 43 years old, having been born on 15^th March 1916 at Pontypool. Evelyn had been widowed 10 years previously. Her maiden name was Davies. Ernest and Evelyn went to live at 57 Osborne Road, Pontypool, almost certainly upon marriage. This had been Evelyn’s home prior to their wedding.

I imagine that this event also provided the motivation for Ada’s move away from the Cottage. Ernest and Evelyn both died in Pontypool in the 1990s. Evelyn in 1992 and Ernest in 1996.

The Mainwarings were the final residents of Panta Cottage. If you read on, you will find out the full story …

Notes from the day I “discovered” Panta Cottage at Glascoed, from a conversation with a neighbour at "The Lilacs", on October 3rd 1993.

My conversation was with Mr Roy Davies of the Lilacs (Lower Poplar Tree Cottage). He estimated that the house was about 200-300 years old (probably therefore built in the 1700s). It was situated down a footpath, that starts at Poplar Cottage, next to a small wood (Pantau Bushes).

He explained that the last inhabitants, the Mainwaring family, had lived at Panta Cottage for quite some time. The Mainwarings were a fox-hunting family and used to keep a fox cub tied up to the fence outside the cottage. They stopped living at Panta “approx 30 or 40 years ago” – which turns out from my research to have been in 1959 or 1960 – so an excellent approximation from Mr Davies.

The house was then inherited by a family that lived away. Mr Davies believed that it was a Vicar who had inherited the cottage; he recalled that he was perhaps from the South-East of England? The new owners let Panta Cottage go to “rack and ruin” and eventually asked for it to be pulled down in the late 1970s – my guess is that this was to avoid paying rates.

Mr Davies described Panta Cottage as a “lovely old cottage” and commented that there was “no good reason why it should have been pulled down”.

At the time that I visited, only part of one wall remained – and that was overgrown with brambles, young trees etc.

Records

Registers of Electors

1889 – Henry Preston.
1922 – Harold and Elizabeth Baker.
1929 – Evan and Ada Mainwaring.
1959 – Ada and her son, Ernest T. Mainwaring.

Censuses

1841 – James and Mary Holloway.
1851 – Joseph and Patience Lewis.
1861 – John and Sarah Pitt.
1871 – James and Charlotte Edins.
1881 – Henry and Hannah Preston.
1891 – Henry and Hannah Preston.
1901 – Eli and Mary Ann Williams.
1911 – Uninhabited.
1921 – Harold and Elizabeth Baker.
1939 National Register – Evan and Ada Mainwaring.