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1. Cross the bridge and pass the front of the Active Living Centre to enter Pontypool Park. Beyond the building turn right and follow the broad drive heading towards Pontymoile Gates for a short distance. Ignore the first left turn towards the ski slope but around 100 yards further on turn left to take a clear but unmade path rising into the woods. The path soon becomes a wide sandstone track climbing through the trees. Further up it passes through a tunnel and emerges to ascend a grassy glade. Near the top a sign post indicates a right fork to the Shell Grotto, which you can now see crowning the top of the ridge ahead. A final short but steep climb brings you up to the building. ....
The Lodge Cottages for the Hanbury’s former home of Pontypool House. Picture: Torfaen Museum. THE HOUSES shown here are the Lodge Cottages for the Hanbury’s former home of Pontypool House, described as Town Lodge (as distinguished from the other, former Park Lodge at the Pontymoile Gates). There were three separate cottages within this building at the north entrance to the house and parkland – which you can see from the three chimneys on this photograph. One house faced towards the roadway to the stables (now museum) and Pontypool House (now St Alban’s R C High School), one faced towards Park Road, and the other to what is now the car park but was then a hedged entrance to the blacksmith s workshop to the rear of the stables. ....