Oak Farm Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Located at right angles to the by-road shortly after the Y-junction with the main road to Tallarn Green.

History

Originated as a c1600 storeyed and wholly timber-framed farmhouse of lobby-entry plan. The present external character dates from an early to mid C19 brick remodelling and enlargement.

Exterior

Two-storey red brick farmhouse built with irregular bonding, under a slate roof with red brick chimney stacks placed centrally and at the gable end. Casement windows with cambered heads and voussoirs to ground floor. The off-centre-vertical joint represents the division between the sub-medieval building and C19 extension. Two windows to the left and one to right, possibly formerly a separate cottage; three-light window to ground floor left. The lobby-entry door to left of the joint has a gabled, ogee-arched porch. Boarded doors and lean-to at right with further door. Two-windowed buttressed gable end. Deep kitchen lean-to at rear.

Interior

Main doorway opens onto a long lobby at the side of the main chimney. Probably originally of three units. The timber-frame is most visible at far left end. The inner room retains broadly-framed square-framing and the back of the screens partition with two doorways, one (now blocked) with pointed door-head. This room also retains one of the early, pre-glazing type, timber-framed windows that together are the most important features of this house. That to the inner room is 3-light with diamond-mullions and is repeated to the 1st floor. The hall had a five-light window with another similar lighting the chamber above, the latter of which retains its projecting sills supported by deep, shaped, brackets. The fact that these windows are on two levels confirms that this was built as a storeyed house rather than with an open-hall as was more common at that date. The original timber-framed rear wall containing these windows is preserved beneath the later C19 kitchen lean-to extension. Otherwise the beams and roof structure were largely replaced in C19. Steep staircase to rear; boarded doors; cellar.

Reason for designation

Listed for the special interest of its sub-medieval origins and surviving (now internal) early fenestration.