Described today as a “characterful detached dormer bungalow”, 13 Middle Street was once known as ‘The Paragon’. Its current owners, Dave & Jen Hancock have kindly shared a wealth of historical documents and material with Rosemarket Local History Society, allowing us to proudly tell its story.
How it all began
The oldest record we’ve found is dated 29th November 1875, when it was a “freehold piece of land” owned jointly by John Frederick Lort Phillips of Lawrenny Park and Charles William Rees Stokes of Tenby. During the following decades, ownership of the land passed down through the families until records indicate that the part originally owned by Mr Stokes was purchased by John Rees of Elm House, Rosemarket. Mr Rees was listed as a Retired Shipwright.
Records are a little confusing but ultimately, the land was purchased in its entirety in 1938 by Stephen Thomas Llewellyn, of ‘Clear View’ on The Beacon, Rosemarket. Mr Llewellyn was listed as a retired Police Officer. The Conveyance document is pictured below.
From land to property…
It was following the purchase in 1938 that construction of the bungalow took place.
Legal records dated 1939 indicate that Mr Llewellyn (who at this time is listed as a Locomotive and Crane Driver), obtained a mortgage from the Taunton & West of England Perpetual Benefit Building Society. The exact date of completion of the bungalow is not known, but it must have been prior to 1945 as paperwork from that time refers to a bungalow (rather than land). This therefore indicates that construction likely took place during the Second World War.
Post War years
It was in 1946 that ‘The Paragon’ was first named specifically in records. In March of that year, documents show Mr Llewellyn (who by that time was living in Newport) sold the property to Edward Arthur Llewellyn Charles “& wife” (whose name in later documents is listed as Irene Langdon Charles). Incidentally, later documents also refer to Edward as Edwin.
In 1949, the property changed hands again, this time being purchased by John Hudson Davies. A lifetime resident of the village has memories of his dad helping Mr Davies install sewage drainage into the property from the main road when a sewage system came into Rosemarket during the 1950s. In that period, Middle Street, like other streets in the village, had only a handful of properties.
In 1961, ‘The Paragon’ was purchased by Sybil Mary Willis of Pontselly (today known as Pontselli), Boncath, who lived in the property until her death in August 1992.
The end of ‘The Paragon’…
Following the death of Sybil Willis, the property was gifted through inheritance and then sold to a local resident in 1994. Documents from this time all refer to the property as ‘The Bungalow’, 13 Middle Street. There is no mention of ‘The Paragon’ at all, not even in reference to being formally known by that name.
In the years that followed, the property underwent extensive renovation and extension, transforming it from a 2 bedroomed cottage to the 4 bedroomed property it is today. There was also a new roof, rendering and UPVC double glazed windows added.
Pictured in 1990s, before renovations began
Renovations underway 1990s
Dave & Jen Hancock, purchased ‘The Bungalow’, in May 2003. They continued to improve the property over many years, adding a sun room and landscaping both the front and rear of the property. Through its many changes of ownership and extensive renovations over the years, the charm and character of this beautiful property has never been lost.
Pictured in 2024