Dinorben Hall

Cadw's description

Location

The farmhouse stands on high land, approximately 150m W of the minor road running S from the village of St George.

History

Dinorben fawr, its original name, first occurs in the records in the Black Book of Carmarthen, c1290, when it was the head of the commote of Is Dulas, and was probably on the site where Llewelyn ap Gruffudd signed, on the 11 July 1273, the address to the King 'Abad Dinorben' regarding fairs at Dolforwyn, Powys. By 1334, a survey of the Kings Lands noted it was a decayed manor. Edward Llwyd's 'Parochialia' records that in his time it was occupied by William Salusbury.
The house is sub-medieval in origin, re-partitioned and extended in the C17. Cross passage plan with the kitchen to the E with a gable stack, and service rooms, probably resulting from a C17 replanning, beyond the passage, with the parlour at the W end, and a major lateral stack at the rear in the angle of the C17 service wing.

Exterior

Rendered stone with slated roof, stepped ridge tiles and and very tall rendered brick stacks. 2 storeys. Four bays, extended both to the rear and at the E end. Part-glazed 4-panel door within an open gabled porch. Five window front; timber casement windows. Gabled porch. A pointed stone-arched doorway in bay 2 was originally a door to the cross passage. The house is recorded as originally having traditional stepped gables a regional characteristic of the area.

Interior

The roof is supported on 3 pairs of raised crucks, with tenoned apex joint, although it is not clear whether the stonework of the walls is later. The kitchen has two transverse beams (boxed) and a steeply cambered timber fire lintel over the gable stack. Heavy chamfered spine beams, and cross beams with bar stopped chamfers in the parlour, which also has a C19 Carrara marble fireplace.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* as a major post-medieval house, retaining much of the original structure, and with important historical connections.