Nyth Catty was Goytrey poorhouse, so a little more is known about it’s history. It was replaced by Penwern Cottages between 1864 and 1871.
Goytrey Church overseers of the poor accounts.
From the account of Walter Griffiths, overseer of the poor for the office 12th day of May 1802 to 11th day of July 1802: To Candy Morgan for a piece of ground whereon it is intended to build houses for poor persons and hedging the same 1/-.
At a parish meeting held the 4th day of May 1808 it was agreed by the major part of the parishioners then present to build a house for Catherine Jenkins immediately on part of ground belonging to the parish at the expense of the parish under the direction of the overseers to be called Nyth Catty.
Joshua Davies Clk; William Morgan; James Prosser; Edward Jones; John Moses – x; William Jeremiah – x; Thomas Jenkins – x;
Account of Thomas Jenkins overseer of the poor from the 19th April 1809 to 27th day of April 1810 – hedging Catty’s Nest 2/-.
The account of Vaughan Jones overseer of the poor from the 8th day of May to the 19th day of May 1809;
David Jones mason for building a house for placing a poor person £3; Francis Morgan carpenter for 9 days work at 2/9 per day; A lock for the door 2/2; Nails 1/-; Pair of hinges, 2 plugs and 1 staple 3/-; Thomas Prosser for the thatching 6/-; William David for 28 cartloads of stone already risen for the building 9/4; 4 days halling the said stone £1 4s; A labourer filling them, 2 days 4/-; A load of lime at the kiln 10/-; Halling the lime 15/-; William Morgan for timber and halling it 15/6; James Prosser for 4 thraves and a half of straw at 6/-; Thrave £10 1s 9d; Candia Morgan coal 12/-:
Catherine Jenkins a pauper was buried on December 20th 1812.
At a parish meeting on the 10th April 1813, it allowed £7 1s 8d for enlarging the cottage called Kitty’s Nest.
The poorhouse also took in paupers from the surrounding parishes, the following people were mentioned:- Candia Morgan’s funeral cost £1 1s 0d; Richard Evans from the workhouse aged 61 was buried on the 20th January 1816; on the 27th Samuel Saunders from the workhouse was buried aged 40; on the 6th February 1816, Peter Edwards aged 32; and Margaret Watkin aged 90 from the poorhouse on 25th May 1819. The last person named in 1836 was Francis Morgan aged 90.
On 25th September 1835, Richard Jones takes Catty’s Nest at a rent of £2 per annum and in 1836 the thatcher repaired Catty’s Nest at a cost of £1 4s 3d. On the 1841census Richard Jones was 50 years old, a shoemaker, Ester his wife was 40, their daughters are Hariett 5 and Eliza 10 months.
An undated document says Richard Jones was the occupier and the rateable value for Nyth Catty was left blank as it was owned by the parish. Richard remains at Nyth Catty until he dies in 1864. After his death his wife Ester sold Nyth Catty to James Morgan for £10. To avoid his creditors, James Morgan put the property into the name of his son Roger, who at that time was living with his brother Henry aged 28, a farmer of 100 acres in Llanellen.
On the 1871 census James Morgan was a labourer aged 45, Charlotte his wife 46, and their children Ellen 16, Ann 14, Louisa 8, and John aged 10.
A document I have says there was a case in 1870 stating Richard Jones an old man moved into the property about 1834 and was given permission to live there instead of becoming chargeable to the parish. Jones took the cottage and begged a few loads of straw from the neighbouring farms, thatched the cottage and made it habitable. He subsequently received parish relief and lived in the house until his death without paying rent.
James Morgan erected two substantial dwelling houses (now Penwern Cottages) and assigned them to his son.