Llwyn-y-brain

Cadw's description

Location

The farmhouse is located on a river terrace above the River Severn valley, 3Km E of Llanwnog village, and is reached by a farm road by the side of 'Aelbryn'

History

An early and major farmhouse on the rich valley lands, probably of C15 origin, largely rebuilt in the later C16, with minor later modifications. It contains evidence of a cruck built open hall house, of 3 bays, with large axial stack between bays 1 and 2, to which a fully timber framed 2-bay cross wing was added beyond the former parlour end, and at a later date, a further axial stack inserted.

Exterior

Rendered over timber framing, with slate roofs. Two storeys and attic. The N front main door, set within an open C20 gabled porch, is opposite the primary stack. The cross wing has evidence for being jettied on the first floor. Various C19 and C20 timber windows, including a segmental-headed stair window. The roof is hipped at the W end, and has rebuilt brick stacks.

Interior

The evidence for the earliest phase is a pair of cruck blades at the division of the house and unconverted west bay, which are trenched for purlins, with a butt-joint at the apex, and notched for a diagonally set ridge. The frame is infilled with wattle and daub, and is smoke blackened on its E face. The main range now divided longitudinally with the living room on the S, has deeply chamfered twin spine beams, and a large inglenook fireplace with timber fire lintel, now filled in. The northern third beyond the partition contains the passage and stair, the latter with simple square newels with small reserved-ovolo arris mouldings and tenoned handrail. On the first floor, on the S side of the principal stack, there is said to be a smoking cupboard, now boarded over. The cross wing has similar deeply chamfered twin spine beams with ogee stops on both floors. The roof has two tiers of purlins and small straight windbraces in the wing. Throughout, there are many C17 scratch-moulded boarded and panelled doors with original door furniture.

Reason for designation

Included as an important post-medieval farmhouse, much of which probably dates from before the Great Rebuilding in the Severn Valley, which retains much of its early character internally.