Rhiew

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a raised terrace overlooking the valley of the Wigdwr Brook, and accessed by a farm track leading E off the road running S from Oakley Park chapel, replacing the original hollow way approach from the N.

History

Rhiew is a disused steading comprising the house, a barn at right angles at the N and an open fronted carthouse built of small pieces of shale, lying to the rear.
The timber framed house is of the C17, comprising a lobby entry to hall with inner room, divided as a parlour and a service room. Lean-to wash-house added behind stack, and beyond the original timber framed gable, an animal shed. The house was modernised c.1820-40, when the washhouse was added.

Exterior

Brick, laid in garden wall bond replacing the original framing except within the shed on the N gable end. Slate roof. Boarded door, and timber windows with small-pane iron casements, set in openings with cambered brick arches.

Interior

Unmodernised and well preserved. Hall (cegin) has a flagged floor and paired chamfered spine beams with ogee stops. Stack, probably originally timber framed now replaced with brick, has shaped settles each side, and a cast iron range with crane over. Oven to side of stack accessed from the wash-house or bakehouse to the rear. Stair, behind stack, enclosed in horizontal boarded enclosure. Parlour has raised timber floor with continuation of one spine beam. Service room, a dairy or pantry, has a lowered floor, a slate worktop and sink. The stair and upper floor all of c.1840 when the eaves were raised to provide attic accommodation. The original roof truss is preserved in the animal house, and consists of a tie with 3 struts to the collar and raking struts to the principals.

Reason for designation

Included as a well preserved example of a small farmhouse of early C19 character, encapsulating a C17 timber framed building with a vernacular interior of special interest.