Upper Maestorglwydd Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

The house stands adjacent to a small group of farm buildings at the top end of a private track.

History

The house was built as a hall and cross-wing, in two phases, no doubt the replacement of an earlier one on the site. The cross-wing dates from the mid or late C17, and has a fireplace with stairs adjacent at the back of it; its front room was formerly a dairy with a stone salting slab. The date of the front or hall range is less certain, but it is probably the earlier. It retains a cross-passage of which the partition on the 'upper' (N) side is early, the other is C19. Built on falling ground, with the farm buildings below the house, this could be a former long-house. The former hall has late C18 ceiling beams and may have remained open until then, those over the 'lower' end are probably C17. The recent reroofing with Welsh slate replaces asbestos and some stone slate, and eliminates a valley between the 2 ranges.

Exterior

Coursed stone rubble, partly rendered, slate roofs; 2 storeys, semi-detached from lean-to shed on W.
N, 2 & 3-light wood & metal casements, C19 & C20, those of main range segmental-arched; LH gable window in original opening; door early C20 panelled & glazed; stone chimney rebuilt. E, one window under stone label, C20 metal casements, & rooflights. S, original stone chimney on gable of wing, blocked stairlights adjacent; main range, 2 C20 wooden casement windows under old timber lintels, that on ground floor replaces original door; door in wing C19 planks under older timber lintel.

Interior

Main build, doors C19 plank; exposed ceiling beams; staircase C18/19. Wing, doors C19 plank & C20, chamfered ceiling beams throughout ground floor; large fireplace, stone & timber lintel; stairs with stone treads & plain doorframe; front room, flagstone floor. On upper floor, main build fittings early C20; cross-wing has original doorframe in truss between builds.

Reason for designation

Upper Maestorglwydd, though altered externally, is a historic house of 2 dates in the 17th century or earlier, belonging to one of the three Maestorglwydd farms.