Now in the parish of Llanover, originally owned by the Earl of Abergavenny. Number  277 on the 1841 tithe map

In 1827 the original property was enlarged to make two cottages.

On the 21st March 1830 Morgan Griffith died at Penty, he was 91 years old, followed by ten year old Mary Griffith in 1835, they were both buried in Llanvair Kilgeddin churchyard.

The census of 1841 gives Morris Griffith a 40 year old quarryman, Ann his wife also 40, daughter Mary 15, son John 6 and Charles Dowling, 20 a mason living at number one.

At number two is Mary Mathews 70 and her daughter Rachel, both Mary and Rachel annuitants.

10 month old Emily Griffiths died at Penty in 1847, she was buried in Llanover churchyard, the following year a baby girl was born to George and Elizabeth Griffith, the register says George is a butler and have baptised the baby Mary Elizabeth.

Unfortunately the census of 1851 is a minefield, the enumerator appears to have gone round the parish only mentioning a few properties, against the names of most he has written “none.”

Also missing is the 1861 census.

At Llanover church on the 11 September 1870 John James and Elizabeth his wife had their baby son Peter baptised, John said he was a labourer living at Penty. The following year another son, Arthur, was baptised.

On the census of 1871 is John Jones 51, his wife Ann 46 and 7 year old son Henry.

Lewis Edmund, the local builder wrote in his diary on 3rd Nov 1875 that he was at Hanover for the funeral of John Jones, gardener Penty.

A lease was signed by Ebenezer Morgan on 1st May 1877 for the

tenancy of Penty cottages, the lease also signed on 1st May 1877 is held by Rees Jenkins, farmer, who sub let to Ebenezer who was a retired tailor,  born in Abergavenny in 1804,  the son of Morgan Morgan also a tailor.

The following memo was written on 27th May 1879  by Lady Llanover regarding her concerns about Mr James and a lady.

There is a very distressing scandal and means must be found to put an end to it.  The woman who keeps house for Ebenezer Morgan it appears not only drinks herself but continually has Mr James from the next door to sit up all night drinking.

Ebenezer goes to bed about half past eight. I spoke to Mr. Thomas of Hanover yesterday and he says that he has done his very best to awaken Mr James to a sense of the wickedness of such conduct but that he is so infatuated by the temptation always at hand that nothing can be done effectually unless this woman is sent away which she certainly ought to be if only for another reason that she has been known to offer a penny to a child to go with a jug to Pen Croes Oped to bring some sort of liquor and of course such conduct is most demoralising.

I believe you know that Ebenezer’s sister (Mrs Edwards of Pentstair) when dying begged me to let her brother have one of my cottages and I promised he should.  No doubt she thought that he would thereby have some influence or authority ( over him as he is blind and deaf,  as he is he would be very likely to come to some untimely end if he was not near here with a next door neighbour  – but most unfortunately this woman is ruining the next door neighbours and if I turn him off suddenly his mother and sister may both starve which indeed I believe they have lately nearly done as Mr James has become very unkind to his mother since all this has taken place and I have given his sister leave to be a week at the Ty Uchaf  for the sake of having milk and good food to buy to get up her strength.

Mr Thomas tells me that she is a most plausible woman, quick and active and industrious but having this dreadful vice is no doubt the reason that she was glad to undertake the charge of Ebenezers house instead of a better place,- she is a widow, has some property and a son, when she is got rid of, of course Ann James and her mother would take care of Ebenezer and live in their own house but it would not do to say a word of this beforehand, for they say she is a very violent woman and she might accuse them of trying to get rid of her to get the place.

I understand that Allen the policeman was up there one night not long ago by the request of Mr James’s mother who also sent for Rhys Jenkins whose tenants they are as he rents the house off me.

I wish you to see Allen and ask him from me if he cannot give any evidence as to finding them drinking there late at night so that I might have grounds to tell Ebenezer so that she must go and tell him herself that it is better for her to go quietly as if it was her own wish, to prevent still more public scandal which would still more seriously injure her character.

I should be very decided with Ebenezer to say that he shall not have my house to live in if he keeps such a housekeeper but otherwise that he can be very comfortable and have a respectable woman to take care of him. It will be the next time when she is gone to take Mr James in hand and very likely he will have to go also.

I should send him off at once if it were not for his mother, who, he previously is good to and supported.  I have asked Davis about his work – he says he is often off his work and has lost days the last month – but he always makes the excuse that he has such bad health and is not able to come to work – he says he always takes him off the book every time, that sometimes he makes up the time again – and sometimes he does not.

I think for the future  that when any of the men do not keep their time that it ought to appear some way on the book if it is made up again by over hours – but I will check to you about his again but had I known that this man was intentionally missing days I should have had enquiries made sooner and I do not suppose that you discussed it.

(The remainder of the letter is about other matters relating to the estate)

The land tax of 1878 says Mrs James, the following year Richard Morgan is also paying land tax for Penty, and on the 10th December he paid income tax for Penty house and garden to Lady Llanover.

The census of 1881 says Richard Morgan is 29, a farm labourer born in Llanover, his 26 year old wife Miriam was born in Glyn Neath, they were married in January 1878, their children are David 2 and William 2 months, both born in Goytre.

Over the following years Richard Morgan is mentioned several time for paying rates and taxes for Penty and signing the petition for a welsh speaking vicar for the parish of Goytre.

The census of 1891 gives two families residing at Penty,

Henry Jones a 27 year old gardener born in Goytre, he is married to Mary 26 from Ammanford, they have a two year old son John, living with them is 21 year old William Edwards who is under gamekeeper on the estate, William was born in Brecon.

At the other property is Richard Morgan, he is now 39 and a general labourer, Miriam is 35, their children, all born in Goytre are David 12, William 10, Jacob 8, Jane 6 and Edith 9 months.

The enumerator on the 1901 census has numbered the properties, Richard Morgan is at number one with his wife Miriam, daughter Edith, he has a lodger, William Walters, a 78 year old gardener. Children William and Jacob are living in Glyn Neath, Jane has also left home, in 1920 she married William Webster.

At number two is Thomas Jacob who is a 38 year old gardener born in Llanover, his wife Alice is 24 from Whitchurch, they were married in Llanover church in 1896 their two children are Ivor 2 and Charles 10 months.

An entry in Llanover church burial register says Miriam Morgan 53 of Penty was buried on 5th May 1909, there is another entry for her son David John in June 1913.

At number one on the 1911 census is Richard Morgan a woodcutter, now aged 60., daughter Edith Maud is 20 and Maggie Coombes 10 from Glyn Neath.

At number two is Thomas Jacob 48 a coal man at the mansion, Alice his wife is 33, their children are Ivor 13, Charles 10, Elsie 8, Gladys 5, and William 2.

The census of 1921 says Richard Morgan is now 60, a woodcutter for Lord Treowen at Llanover estate, Jacob is 38, single, a colliery engine driver at British Rhondda colliery Glyn Neath, Maggie Coombes is still with them, she is a general servant.

At the other cottage is Thomas Jacob, Alice, their children Elsie, Gladys Willie, Cyril, Allen and Harold, Thomas is a general labourer for Lord Treowen.

Thomas and his family remained at Penty until their deaths, Thomas died in 1945 followed by Elsie in 1947.