Gwynfryn and Isfryn

Cadw's description

Location

Situated some 170m S of the Old Post Office, backing onto road where it bends around the Lefel Fawr mine site.

History

The former 'count house' to the Lisburne Mines, probably dating from after 1834, extended mid C19, sited just by the entrance to the Lefel Fawr, the great level that connected the various mines on high ground to the S. An old photograph shows the accounting house facing over a platform with rail track to a crushing-house set below the terrace to W, a lofted outbuilding opposite, and a house or office backing onto the bank by the entry to the level. Since the end of the lead mining, the building has been converted into flats, in single ownership.
A building on the Tithe map of 1843 is marked house and smithy, occupied by John Taylor, owned by the Earl of Lisburne, but appears to be much smaller than the present day structure; it may be the W end which appears, from a masonry joint on rear to be earlier then the E half. The adjacent land is marked as 'Level Fawr and mine works and sheds'. The Lefel Fawr was commenced in 1785 by John Propert to drain the Logaulas mine, one of the most ancient workings of the region, but took 30 years to reach the vein, which was not finally exploited until 1824 under the Williams family. John Taylor, (1779-1863) the leading mining engineer of the era, took over the lease in 1834 with Matthew Francis as manager of the Lisburne mines (dismissed 1840).

Exterior

Former accounting house to the Lisburne Mines, converted into two houses Gwynfryn, and Isfryn to the east. Whitewashed rubble stone with slate hipped eaves roof. Flat boarded eaves, renewed in C20. Two storeys, four-window range, upper windows under eaves with slate sills, concrete sills to ground floor. South front left half (Gwynfryn) has roof and first floor canted at SW angle with one first floor 16-pane sash. S front has two similar sashes to first floor left and one to ground floor aligned between upper windows, inserted narrow door to right of right window. An old stone door lintel visible to left of window. Right half (Isfryn) has two-window range of horned 4-pane sashes, brick chimney on stone base on E end wall. E end roof is carried down over 2-storey 3-bay veranda with two turned posts at first floor, the right bay weatherboarded, and two iron posts below, the second bay infilled. Within, a doorway and first floor 16-pane sash with brick repair work on left side.
N rear elevation to road has double flight of rubble stone and slate steps to right, to double three-panel doors of former pay office, with 9-pane sash window to left, and large rendered stone chimney on roof verge to right, with smaller rendered brick shaft. Masonry joint between left and right parts, suggesting W half is earlier. The right half is windowless with added raking buttress and projection to left (the end wall of the veranda).

Interior

Interior altered, some six-panel doors.

Reason for designation

Included as a rare example of a Cornish-style accounting house at a Welsh lead mining site, the building of good late Georgian architectural character.