Brynycil Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Located on S side of a minor road between Bettws Cedewain and Berriew, approximately 1.8km E of Bettws Cedewain church. The farmhouse is reached by a short farm road, and faces a yard with farm buildings.

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. Brynycil is one of 3 houses built to the same design (the others are Fir House and Gwaentrebeddau, Tregynon). It remained part of the Gregynog Estate until sold in the 1920s. The house was originally sub-divided between the farmhouse and servants' quarters.

Exterior

Two-storey, constructed of rendered concrete, with slate covered roof. Integral lean-tos to L and rear (with C20 lean-to addition). 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 steeply gabled porch is to R of centre and has a pointed arch on moulded capitals. Axial concrete stacks to L of centre and to R. The rear elevation has similar windows to front in plainer architraves.

Interior

The interior was originally subdivided between 2-unit farmhouse and single unit servants' quarters, the servants' quarters occupying the unit to L with lean-tos and barrel-vaulted cellars (its original stair has been removed). All internal partition walls are of concrete and the ground floor is laid with concrete slabs. The roof is constructed from 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 concrete handrails moulded into the wall.

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.