The Old House, Delvid Farm

Cadw's description

Location

At end of lane leading from Llangennith village to Delfid Burrows

History

A typical Gower small farmhouse of c.1750 or earlier but later enlarged. The bed recess doors are in joinery suggestive of the C17. The original house has an additional full-height unit to the south, of C19 date, and a lower byre extension to the north.

Exterior

House of two storeys in rubble masonry partly rendered and whitened, the exterior of which is much altered and modernised. Artificial slate roof with tile ridge and reduced chimney stacks. Three casement windows at rear, all front windows and door modernised. Brickwork additional bay at south. Byre to north with sheeted roof.

Interior

The original house (according to recent description) contains important surviving internal vernacular features. The entrance was in the south gable wall beside the great fireplace, now covered by the extension. The fireplace beside the original entrance has a roughly chamfered curved bressummer, a brick lined bread oven to the left, a timber settle with carved side, and a charnel box. (The latter is a high-level space for hanging bacon etc., a feature known also in the West Country.) Beside the fireplace is a bed recess in an outshut, with panelled doors. A box-bed lies over the charnel box in the upper storey.

Reason for designation

A vernacular Gower house with unusual survivals of charnel box, outshut bed cupboard, settle and large fireplace; the charnel box in particular an interesting cultural link with the West Country.