Former House and adjoining Washhouse at Plas Uchaf

Cadw's description

Location

Set into a revetted slope immediately to the NW of Plas Uchaf Farmhouse, and closing the farmyard to the W.

History

Second-quarter or mid C16 storeyed house, predating Plas Uchaf Farmhouse by one or two generations and thus the earliest of the unit-planned ranges on site. Converted to agricultural use at least by the early C19 (at which period its openings were altered), the house was partly demolished by the National Trust c1966; it is presently (1996) a byre. The house appears originally to have had a hall with end chimney to the L and a parlour bay to the R, probably with a central service bay. The house was sited with the parlour end downhill, beneath which was an unheated lower ground-floor chamber, probably always a byre. The parlour itself seems to have had an external garderobe projection at the rear (W face). This was corbelled-out and placed next to a similarly-corbelled projecting lateral chimney; evidence for both of these survive in fragment. Associated with these originally was probably a mural stair, implied by the presence of a slit window to the R of the chimney and garderobe corbelling.

The adjoining washhouse adition is of the early C19 and is probably contemporary with the adaption of the primary house to agricultural use.

Exterior

Storeyed rectangular house of rubble construction on boulder-foundations, partly on rock. Modern corrugated iron roof, the chimneys removed; roughly-squared quoins to corners. Blocked entrance to L with boarded loading bay above R under the eaves. Off-centre entrance (altered original) with C19 cambered brick head and boarded stable door. Flanking this two primary window openings with later brick heads, as before; sash windows with 6-pane upper sections and now with boarded lower halves. To the R a further, modern window. This section has been partly reduced and has a mono-pitch modern roof; basement entrance to its gable end at R. The rear has remains of corbelling at L to (raised) ground floor, relating to a former lateral chimney and probable adjoining garderobe; slit light to R. Beyond this to the R is an area of disturbed masonry denoting a former entrance.

Adjoining to the L and both set back and stepped-down, an early C19 single-storey washhouse. Rubble construction with old slate roof and squat chimney to L gable. Off-centre entrance to R with C19 boarded door; small C19 8-pane casement window to L.

Interior

Good quality beamed ceiling with crisp stopped-chamfering to beams and joists. The grooved underside of the beam at R indicates the presence of a former post-and-panel partition. On the L gable wall, the former hall fireplace, now blocked; this is especially wide (almost 4m) and has a huge flat bressummer, its chamfering evidence obscured. Blocked window and entrance to rear wall, the oak lintels expressed internally; beyond, to the R, a partial void in the wall thickness suggests the possible primary mural stair. Modern stair (at R) and roof structure; later (?) dividing wall between hall and parlour ends. Re-used stopped-chamfered main beam to basement room with blocked opening to E.

The washhouse has a two-bay roof with crude collar and tie-beam truss; large staged stack to L.

Reason for designation

Included for its early origins and for group value with Plas Uchaf Farmhouse.