Fron Isa Farmhouse at Fron Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Off Swan Lane to the NE and approached via a metalled drive.

History

A sub-Medieval farmhouse extended and raised in the early C19. Probably late C16, originally thatched single-storey lobby-entry house with massive central stack. At some period the orientation has been altered from the SW being the entrance front, to the NE. A blocked entrance is visible opposite the stack to the rear (SW) face. The original arrangement appears to have been a hall, small central service room and an unheated end-parlour. To this a storeyed extension was added to the left and a continuously-roofed cart house to the right

Exterior

White-washed rubble construction with a medium-pitched slate roof. The central stack has later brick upper courses. Further stone and brick end stack to the left. The primary section has a projecting rubble plinth. Modern fenestration throughout. To the left and stepped-up a recessed entrance with modern part-glazed door. Modern flanking windows to both storeys. To the right a near-flush entrance with early C19 wooden surround, cambered head and contemporary boarded door. This gives access to the former parlour. Further modern window above and to the left, the latter 8-paned and steel-framed. To the right of the primary section a flight of 13 stone steps give access to the room above the former parlour to the left and to the right the first floor of the cart house extension. Both entrances have cambered heads and contemporary boarded doors. The carthouse has a wide entrance with segmental arch and stone voussoirs. Modern window as before above this and ventilation slits to ground floor rear. Set back and adjoining to R a later rubble-built, single-storey carthouse. Wide opening with modern wooden lintel and brick floor. To the rear of the main section, a modern brick storeyed extension to R and a catslide roofed early C19 projection to the left

Interior

Heavy beamed ceiling to former parlour with good chamfered and stopped detail. Similar main beam to service room. Original entrance from here to the parlour with chamfered and stopped jambs and similar 4-centred-arched head. C19 boarded door. Wide inglenook to the former hall (now reduced in depth) with breastsummer recut segmentally in the early C19. Reused ceiling beams.

Reason for designation

A sub-Medieval farmhouse still identifiable despite alterations and with good primary features to the parlour and service rooms.