Rhyd-Wen Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

On the road that runs from Rhyl to Dyserth, close to the boundary of Rhyl Community, approx. 3km NE of Rhuddlan.

Exterior

Built as a farmhouse, or possibly as a pair of dwellings, with an attached cottage which was formerly an outbuilding. Dated over 2 doorways 1635 and 1641, and mostly of that period. Roughly coursed and squared stone with slate roof; brick end wall and axial stacks. Low 2-storeys, a long range which formerly comprised a 3-unit house (or a two-unit and a single unit house), to which was added a lower single bay outbuilding. This outbuilding was subsequently converted into a separate cottage, and the end unit of the farmhouse divided off to form part of the cottage. The house faces S and the present entrance (in an added porch) has a shallow 4-centred arch with the date in raised letters on the lintel, with the initials K over I.H. 20-pane sash window to left of doorway, 12-pane sash to its right, and 3 similar windows above. To the left, a further doorway with initials K over I.H. and the date, 1635 in the lintel, is now a 12-pane sash window. 16-pane sash window beyond it, and a 12-pane sash window above. This end unit appears to have originally formed part of the main house, but has now been separated off. The windows are all in moulded architraves, and in most of them, the remains of stone mullions, cut through when the sashes were inserted, are still visible in sills and lintels. A single unit extension to the right was probably added in the C19 as a single storeyed service room, and was raised in height c1950. The former out-building to the left is a lower building and was probably added to the main range in the C18.

Interior

The house retains some original structural features inside, notably the paired axial beams with geometrical chamfer stops in the E room, and the inglenook fireplace (modified) and axial beam with stepped chamfer stop to W room.

Reason for designation

A good example of a C17 vernacular farmhouse, which has a distinctive long plan, and which retains substantial elements of its original character.