Fron

Cadw's description

Location

S of the A40(T) 2 km E of the village of Llanddewi Velfrey. High front garden wall in rubble masonry.

History

House of the mid/late C18. The Royal Commission gives a date c.1750, and a will, dated 1770, in possession of owner, appears to refer to rooms in this house. The front elevation is characteristic of late C18 date, with a small pediment giving a strong sense of symmetry. In 1840 Fron was the house of Evan Protheroe Lewis, with a farm of 42 acres ( 17ha ). The house was derelict when surveyed by the Royal Commission in 1981, but is now restored.

Exterior

Double pile house of cellar, two storeys and attic, with three-window front elevation facing E. Local hammer-dressed limestone masonry regularly coursed at front and brought to courses elsewhere. Slate roofs at 45 degree pitch. End chimneys to both piles in stone, rebuilt or repointed, with capping and dripstones. Central doorway, and renewed 12-pane sash windows in exposed frames to ground and first floors. Slate sills. At front a small gablet rises as a pediment from the eaves line and incorporates a large semicircular window to light the attic. Attic windows also in the end elevations beside chimney positions.

Interior

Symmetrical plan with central hallway and passage to stairs at rear. Fine dogleg stairs with simple handrail. Giant sash window to landing. The main reception rooms of the ground storey have doors of two panels.

The trusses of both front and rear piles have curved collar beams and carpenter's marks. The two sets of marks are in different styles.

Reason for designation

An C18 house of good architectural character.