Gwaelod Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a slight eminence on the floor of the valley, W of the road from Llanfyllin through Grwn-amlwg to Meifod.

Exterior

A farmhouse of the C17, originally timber framed with colourwashed brick infilling, now partially replaced with stone, and with the parlour end rebuilt in stone. Slate roof. Two storeys, type C lobby entry plan with living room and inner room at the N end, and a parlour, now subdivided longitudinally to the S. Added stone 2-bay service room central to rear with gable stack, probably a bakehouse, and various rear outshuts.

Brick gabled porch. Framing on N gable end 3 panels high; on main E front replaced with stone to first floor level and wrapped around end. Parlour end roofed as a short cross wing of 2 bays divided by central truss, probably a rebuild of an original in-line timber bay. C20 windows throughout, the cross wing having projecting stone labels on all 3 sides.

Interior

Entrance opposite stack with oven accessed from lobby. Main rooms have two parallel chamfered spine beams. Inner room partition removed to enlarge living room leaving cross beam. C17 stair behind stack, with access from living room splitting to each upper chamber. Square newels and moulded handrails, the splat balusters having been replaced. Trusses have 3 queen struts to collar and angled struts to principals, marked up with a chisel. Cross wing reported as having some framing on end wall behind plaster.

Reason for designation

Included as a prominent farmhouse in the valley, and the birthplace of Humphrey Owen DD, who rose to become Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, 1763.