Troy House
Encyclopedia
Troy House is a Welsh historic house north-east of Mitchel Troy
, Monmouthshire
. It originally belonged to Blanche Herbert, Lady Troy, who retired there around 1550. Present-day structure overlooking the River Trothy
was completed in 1681 for Charles Somerset
. 19th century authors attributed design of the house to Inigo Jones
. In the 20th century the building housed an approved school
and fell into disrepair. As of 2009, the property laid abandoned for years.
In 1667 Henry Somerset
succeeded his father to the title of Marquess of Worcester
. Henry, a staunch supporter of Charles II
, restored the family fortunes and built a series of residences to replace the slighted
Raglan Castle
. He started with the Great Castle House near Raglan (1673), continued with the Badminton House
in Gloucestershire
, and built the new Troy House as a wedding gift to his son Charles. According to architecte Graham Frecknall, floorplans of Troy House followed those of Badminton House.
In 1682 Charles Somerset married Rebecca Child and acquired the title of Marquess of Worcester. Between 1682 and 1699 he expanded Troy House and rebuit the facade in neoclassical style appropriate for his new title. The house remained the Somerset property until the death of Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
in 1899. By this time the family fortunes were destroyed and the descendants of the 8th Duke auctioned off the 1670 acres (6.8 km²) Troy estate along with most of their Welsh properties.
In 1904 the Troy House was purchased by the Good Shepherd Sisters
and converted to a convent school. The catholic nuns expanded the estate with a chapel, a hostel and service buildings. In 1935 the institution was converted into an approved school
with state financing. The building gradually deteriorated, and in the 1980 the school relocated to a more appropriate location. The Unification Church
approached the municipality with an offer to buy the abandoned property, but was rejected owing to popular sentiment against the group.
In 2009 businessman Peter Carroll of the London-based Timbershore Ltd. proposed plans to rebuild the property into a 54-flat residential compound. According to the draft by Monmouth architect Graham Frecknall, 23 units would fit into the existing House, and 31 into newly-built wings. Carroll said that any plans to revive Troy House require a new build permit and that present-day conservation status precluded any economical redevelopment. According to Carroll, Troy was in danger of being gutted and destroyed like Piercefield House
. Preservationists divided over the proposal: SAVE Britain's Heritage
concurred with Carroll's analysis, others expressed fears that Troy will end up "a new Cefn Mably
".
In 2011 the Troy house was used as a set for a scene in Doctor Who "Day of The Moon"
built a railway station north of Troy House. It was inaugurated as Monmouth Troy House station, but the name was soon reduced to Monmouth Troy. It was closed to passenger traffic in 1959 and completely shut down in 1964. In 1985 the brick station building was carefully disassembled and in 1987-1999 rebuilt on the site of Winchcombe railway station
of the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
.
Mitchel Troy
Mitchel Troy is a village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located 3 miles south west of the county town of Monmouth, just off the A40 road leading towards Raglan.- History and amenities :...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
. It originally belonged to Blanche Herbert, Lady Troy, who retired there around 1550. Present-day structure overlooking the River Trothy
River Trothy
The River Trothy is a river which flows through north Monmouthshire, in rural south east Wales.The river rises on Campston Hill, northeast of Abergavenny. It flows southwards until Llanvapley, where it turns east. At Monmouth the river joins into the River Wye, about 0.5 km downstream from the...
was completed in 1681 for Charles Somerset
Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester
Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester was the eldest son of a peer in the peerage of England and an MP.-Private Life:...
. 19th century authors attributed design of the house to Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
. In the 20th century the building housed an approved school
Approved School
Approved School is a term formerly used in the United Kingdom to mean a particular kind of residential institution to which young people could be sent by a court, usually for committing offences but sometimes because they were deemed to be beyond parental control...
and fell into disrepair. As of 2009, the property laid abandoned for years.
History
Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort
Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort, KG, PC was an English peer. He was styled Lord Herbert from 1646 until 3 April 1667, when he succeeded his father as 3rd Marquess of Worcester....
succeeded his father to the title of Marquess of Worcester
Duke of Beaufort
Duke of Beaufort is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, a Lancastrian leader in the Wars of the...
. Henry, a staunch supporter of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, restored the family fortunes and built a series of residences to replace the slighted
Slighting
A slighting is the deliberate destruction, partial or complete, of a fortification without opposition. During the English Civil War this was to render it unusable as a fort.-Middle Ages:...
Raglan Castle
Raglan Castle
Raglan Castle is a late medieval castle located just north of the village of Raglan in the county of Monmouthshire in south east Wales. The modern castle dates from between the 15th and early 17th-centuries, when the successive ruling families of the Herberts and the Somersets created a luxurious,...
. He started with the Great Castle House near Raglan (1673), continued with the Badminton House
Badminton House
Badminton House is a large country house in Gloucestershire, England, and has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century, when the family moved from Raglan Castle, which had been ruined in the English Civil War...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, and built the new Troy House as a wedding gift to his son Charles. According to architecte Graham Frecknall, floorplans of Troy House followed those of Badminton House.
In 1682 Charles Somerset married Rebecca Child and acquired the title of Marquess of Worcester. Between 1682 and 1699 he expanded Troy House and rebuit the facade in neoclassical style appropriate for his new title. The house remained the Somerset property until the death of Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
Captain Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort KG, PC, DL , styled Earl of Glamorgan until 1835 and Marquess of Worcester from 1835 to 1853, was a British peer, soldier and Conservative politician...
in 1899. By this time the family fortunes were destroyed and the descendants of the 8th Duke auctioned off the 1670 acres (6.8 km²) Troy estate along with most of their Welsh properties.
In 1904 the Troy House was purchased by the Good Shepherd Sisters
Good Shepherd Sisters
The Good Shepherd Sisters is a Roman Catholic order of women religious. In addition to the standard vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Good Shepherd Sisters take the following fourth vow of zeal for souls [to save souls], particularly of women and girls."I bind myself to the labor for...
and converted to a convent school. The catholic nuns expanded the estate with a chapel, a hostel and service buildings. In 1935 the institution was converted into an approved school
Approved School
Approved School is a term formerly used in the United Kingdom to mean a particular kind of residential institution to which young people could be sent by a court, usually for committing offences but sometimes because they were deemed to be beyond parental control...
with state financing. The building gradually deteriorated, and in the 1980 the school relocated to a more appropriate location. The Unification Church
Unification Church
The Unification Church is a new religious movement founded by Korean religious leader Sun Myung Moon. In 1954, the Unification Church was formally and legally established in Seoul, South Korea, as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity . In 1994, Moon gave the church...
approached the municipality with an offer to buy the abandoned property, but was rejected owing to popular sentiment against the group.
In 2009 businessman Peter Carroll of the London-based Timbershore Ltd. proposed plans to rebuild the property into a 54-flat residential compound. According to the draft by Monmouth architect Graham Frecknall, 23 units would fit into the existing House, and 31 into newly-built wings. Carroll said that any plans to revive Troy House require a new build permit and that present-day conservation status precluded any economical redevelopment. According to Carroll, Troy was in danger of being gutted and destroyed like Piercefield House
Piercefield House
Piercefield House is a largely ruined neo-classical country house designed by Sir John Soane, located near Chepstow in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. Its extensive surrounding park overlooking the Wye Valley includes Chepstow Racecourse...
. Preservationists divided over the proposal: SAVE Britain's Heritage
SAVE Britain's Heritage
SAVE Britain's Heritage has been described as the most influential conservation group to have been established since William Morris founded the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1877. It was created in 1975 - European Architectural Heritage Year - by a group of journalists,...
concurred with Carroll's analysis, others expressed fears that Troy will end up "a new Cefn Mably
Cefn Mably
The district of Cefn Mably makes up part of St Mellons, a small suburb on the east side of Cardiff.-External links:* information on the Kemeys-Tynte family...
".
In 2011 the Troy house was used as a set for a scene in Doctor Who "Day of The Moon"
Monmouth Troy House station
In 1857 the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool RailwayColeford, Monmouth, Usk and Pontypool Railway
The Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway was a standard gauge railway of which ran between Monmouth to Pontypool. It was opened in 1857, passenger services were withdrawn in 1955...
built a railway station north of Troy House. It was inaugurated as Monmouth Troy House station, but the name was soon reduced to Monmouth Troy. It was closed to passenger traffic in 1959 and completely shut down in 1964. In 1985 the brick station building was carefully disassembled and in 1987-1999 rebuilt on the site of Winchcombe railway station
Winchcombe railway station
Winchcombe railway station serves Winchcombe in Gloucestershire, England, although it is actually located in the village of Greet. It is located on the Honeybourne Line which linked and and which was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1906...
of the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire/Warwickshire Borders that has reopened the closed railway line between Laverton Halt and Cheltenham Racecourse railway stations in Gloucestershire/Worcestershire., it currently...
.