Sources: John Thorneycroft, CADW, welshruins.co.uk All images © John Thorneycroft
The origins of Bertholey House go back to the 16th Century. The house shown here was built around 1830 and was the third to occupy the site, which stands on high ground overlooking a meander in the River Usk. In 1905 an innebriated relative of the then owner accidentally set it on fire. This photograph, taken in 1909, shows the consequent dereliction. The shell of the building deteriorated further over the following decades until finally it was reconstucted, without the upper floor, by new owners at the end of the 20th Century
The restyling of the house in the early 19th Century was complimented by landscaped parkland (latterly used for agriculture) and a walled kitchen garden. A wild woodland garden, incorporating streams and footpaths, was added in the late 19thC. This sketch plan of what remains was made by John Thorneycroft in 1969, to accompany his photographs
Ivy and trees almost obscure the shell of the building (1969)
The physical delapidation was further exacerbated in 1956 by a farmer quarrying stone from the facade to provide hard core for a driveway (1969)
Fallen stonework and large gaps in the facade (1969)
The old cider mill and stable block (1969)