Sarn Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at the end of a short farm road on the S side of the A470, and S of the Cambrian railway. The house faces N on to a yard, with the railway beyond.

History

Late C18, and formerly an Inn on the Newtown to Machynlleth Turnpike, which was diverted when the railway was built. The first Montgomeryshire Turnpike Act was passed in 1769 and the house was probably built soon afterwards. The building is now a farmhouse.

Exterior

Two-storeys with attic, 3-window range. The house has an integral lean-to on E side and a gabled wing at rear. Random rubble with renewed slate roof. Two end stacks, of stone to the left, blue brick to the right. Three renewed dormers with 2-light casements. The house is double-fronted, the front faced with unusually large blocks of stone. In the first floor are three equally placed 9-pane windows under segmental heads. These are repeated on the ground floor either side of a centrally-placed door, which is under a timber lintel. The door is planked and has a glazed panel. Lean-to to left has, in the return elevation, renewed window under a timber lintel in the lower storey, and a lately inserted window under the wall plate. The gabled wing at the rear has an outshut under a catslide roof, and an end stack in stone. The lateral wall on the west side is roughcast and has 3-iron frame windows inserted mid C20. Contemporary with these is a shallow C20 2-storeyed outshut at rear of main range. Single-storeyed gabled projection on the W side is of rubble stone, with a planked door on the S side, and a blocked doorway on the N side.

Interior

Main range has a 2-unit plan with central stair hall. Two-flight stair with some treads replaced. The partition between the hall and room to right has a light timber frame. The room to left has a large fireplace, with replaced bressumer and C19 brick range, and 2 chamfered spine beams with exposed joists. The door beside the fireplace leads to a former pantry, which has a cobbled floor. The gabled wing at rear has a fireplace with random rubble jambs, a chamfered bressumer, and a bread oven with cast iron door made by the Coalbrookdale Company. All original internal doorways have ledged and battened doors.

Reason for designation

Listed as a prominently sited late C18 former inn faced with unusually large stones, retaining its original plan form and good interior detail.