Braich-y-Ceunant

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the end of an access lane running E from an unclassified road which runs SE off the B 4416; approximately 170mS of St. Mark's church.

History

Sub-Medieval farmhouse, probably late C16, substantially altered and extended early C18 and dated 1717; later C18 and C19 cosmetic alterations.

Exterior

Rubble construction, of one-and-a-half storeys; L-plan. Slate roofs (renewed) with gable-end chimneys with plain capping and weathercoursing. Near-symmetrical main (NE facing) range with central entrance; C19 flush 6-panel door with plain rectangular door light and above, a shallow recess. 4-pane late C19 sash windows, that to the L broader. 3 rubble dormers with hipped slate roofs to upper floor with windows slightly breaking the eaves; early C19 12-pane sashes. Rubble lean-to to R with slate roof and boarded S side; corrugated iron doors. Rear range with kneelered gable parapet with overlapping coping; rendered gable. Gabled and storeyed stair projection to its E side, with 4-pane window as before to the upper floor. Later lean-to in front, attached to the rear of the main range and flush with its E gable. Here a C20 part-glazed door; modern rooflight. To the L of the stair projection, a dormer as before with a blocked entrance beneath. Above its stone lintel an inset lead plaque bearing initials LL, D, L, DV, WA, DI, GON, and date 1717. This is probably ex situ and originally filled the recess above the main entrance. Large gabled dormer to rear, originally a gabled lateral chimney and subsequently altered; 4-pane window as before to upper floor and a modern window below. Large 4-pane sash toground floor R.

Interior

Post-and-panel partition to L of entrance hall. Ground floor L room with stopped-chamfered beamed ceiling with small ogee stops. Early C18 panelled window seat (raised and fielded panels) with similar shutters, presently removed for conservation (January1995). Contemporary oak 4-panel door and 2 similar (raised and fielded) 2-panel pine doors, originally painted. The room in the rear range has stopped-chamfered main beams as before and 2-panel early C18 narrow cupboard doors flanking a C19 slate fireplace at the gable end. A large mass of masonry between the entrance hall and the stair-well relates to the primary building and has a large exposed lintel and a small recess; this does not appear to have been either a stack or a newel stair. Early C18 oak dog-leg stair with raised and fielded panelled side; plain square newels and simply-moulded hand-rail, bobbin-turned balusters and a small upper landing with contemporary flat, S-shaped balusters. The upper floor retains most of its original random width oak floorboards and has oak plank partition walls, pre-C18 and early C18. All doors are either early or mid C18 and are 4-5-and 6-panelled, as before with moulded or plain doorcases. Former wig closet within the wall thickness in the upper L room; C18 shelving and door as before. Crude stone lintel to fireplace with panelled cupboard door to L. Raised and fielded dado panelling to front-facing room including window seat as before. In the opposite corner a tall panelled cupboard, built-in with 2 doors, possibly a former gun-cupboard.

Reason for designation

Included at grade II* as a sub-Medieval house within which unusually complete C18 interior detail survives.