Broniarth Hall

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a minor road leading S off the Geuffordd to Pentre'r Beirdd.

History

Broniarth is the centre of a township of early importance on the SW side of Dyffryn Meifod. It is claimed as being the place where Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, the noted Lollard, is said to have lain up after his escape from the Tower in 1413, until he was retaken by Edward de Chastleton in 1417 in a field still called Cobham's Garden. The property was held by a fee of a red rose of the Lord of Powys and was granted to the Tanat family of Abertanat by Henry V in appreciation of their assistance in the recapture of Cobham. Circa 1600 it was the birthplace of George Griffith, later to be Bishop of St Asaph, who was responsible for the Service of Baptism for those Riper Years in the 1662 Prayer Book, and who helped to prepare the Act of Uniformity. Under James I the mesne manor lordship is given in favour of Ieuan and Sir Griffith Vaughan, empowering them to hold tri-weekly courts at Broniarth. Later, in the C18, it was held by the Brochwel Gryffydd family. The claim of Broniarth Hall as Cobham's place of refuge is challenged by Pant mawr, which lies nearer to Cobham's Garden.

Exterior

Farmhouse of the early and later C17, possibly including earlier work. Timber framed, refaced with colourwashed brick on the main SE elevation. Two storeys and attics. The house appears to be of 2 builds, the N end as far as the stack the earlier. Plan now consists of a central stair hall with stack serving rooms in the later, perhaps rebuilt, structure to right (S). To the rear a 1-bay wing, probably contemporary with the first build. The parlour end has a further rear parlour in the angle, forming an 'L'-wing with rear gable stack, and a kitchen added to the rear of the service wing. Outbuilding on S end now sheltering the secondary entrance.

Central door boarded with heavy frame within an open C19 gabled canopy. C19 timber two and 3-light windows, those to the ground floor with transoms, stone sills and segmental heads. One gabled dormer at parlour end. Front refacing brickwork is also constructed in two phases. South gable end is jettied both at first floor and tie beam level, although now underbuilt and mostly covered. Carved brackets carry jetty beam moulded with 3 ovolos parted by quirks (visible within the outbuilding), posts have hanging rope carvings, and the tie beam has incuse squares with quadrant 'brackets' forming a type of strapwork, the lower arris chamfered and cut with chevron decoration. Blocked window in gable. Some close studding seen on the early rear wing.

Interior

Central stair hall has main framed trusses either side and contains the late C17 stair of one flight with straight splat balusters. Main parlour has twin deeply moulded spine beams with cut stops. Collar beam trusses in attic with 2 tiers of purlins. On the first floor, a passage from end to end.

Reason for designation

Included as a major C17 house with interesting historical associations.