Squires Cottage

Cadw's description

Location

Below the B5098 on the E side of Bersham (E of the A483), immediately W of the Heritage Centre

History

The house is probably late C16 or early C17 in origin. In its present form, it represents a hall-house with central service room and end parlour. The house was previously known as Ivey Cottage, after a manager of the Bersham Ironworks presumed to have lived here. The name was changed c1980

Exterior

Whitewash over rubble, with thatched roof; stack on right hand gable. Timber framing exposed in lower gable: a queen post and collar truss. Single storeyed, 3-unit plan with doorway towards right. Inserted casement windows of 2 and 3 lights. Parallel rear range added c1980.

Interior

Doorway directly into hall, which is open to collar level: rough purlins and rafters exposed. Roughly chamfered curved bressumer to gable fireplace; square panelled timber framed partition, with cambered tie-beam and queen-post truss: heavy plank doors to either side, giving access to central unheated service room at front, and rear lobby housing staircase. Further square panelled framed partition wall between these small rooms and the former parlour, which has roughly chamfered axial beam. Ceiling over parlour and central rooms, with wide boarded floors to upper storey.

Reason for designation

A remarkable survival of a small hall-house, retaining its early layout with considerable early internal detail.