Gwaentrebeddau

Cadw's description

Location

Isolated farmhouse reached by a farm road on N side of a minor road between Tregynon and Bettws Cedewain, approximately 1.8km E of parish church. The house has farm buildings to W.

History

Constructed in unreinforced concrete c1870 by Henry Hanbury-Tracy as part of the Gregynog Estate. Hanbury-Tracy's use of the material at Gregynog was intended to demonstrate the benefits of building in concrete, which it was said reduced the cost of a house by nearly a half compared to brick or stone. The concrete was made from river gravel and brick fragments bonded with cement. It was laid in wet courses directly on to the wall using timber shuttering and finished with a skim coat of render. Concrete was also used for mullions, chimneys, floor and roof slabs, partition walls, fireplace and stair construction. Gwaentrebeddau is one of 3 houses built to the same design (the others are Fir House, Tregynon, and Brynycil, Bettws). It remained part of the Gregynog Estate until it was sold off in the 1920s. The house was originally divided between the farmhouse and servants' quarters.

Exterior

2-storey, constructed of rendered concrete, with slate roof and Gothic detailing. Integral lean-tos to L and rear. The 4-window front has angle pilaster strips, plat band and moulded architraves. The windows have concrete mullions with round-headed lights (4-light in the lower storey, 3-light upper with 2-light over the porch). Each window incorporates an iron framed casement. The porch is to R of centre and has a pointed arch on moulded capitals. Axial stacks to L of centre and to R, of concrete but each part rebuilt in brick. The gable lean-to has a C20 casement in its lateral wall. The rear elevation has similar windows to front in plainer architraves.

Interior

The interior was originally subdivided between farmhouse and servants' quarters, the servants' quarters occupying the unit to L with lean-tos. All internal partition walls are of concrete and the ground floor is said to be laid with concrete slabs. The roof is constructed of cast iron rafters and concrete slabs, over which slates were laid. The main house has a central stair hall with straight concrete stair, which has a concrete handrail moulded into the wall. 2 units in the lower storey. In servants' quarters to L is a timber spine beam with exposed joists, from which steel bars with meat hooks are suspended. The gable lean-to contains a timber stair and concrete steps to a barrel-vaulted cellar in concrete.

Reason for designation

Of special interest for its experimental use of unreinforced concrete and as one of an important series of concrete farmhouses on the former Gregynog Estate. The building also makes an important contribution to the surviving group of concrete buildings in Tregynon.