Coed Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

On the west side of the valley road about 1200m north west of the Queen's Head Inn and almost opposite Cwmyoy village.

History

A perhaps C16 longhouse type, recorded as a Group C 'lobby-entry' house, but actually a cross-passage house with the cowhouse (now barn) at the downhill end and an end entry to the living space off the cross-passage (now blocked). The house was converted to lobby entry presumably when it was refurbished by the Llanthony Estate in the early/mid C19 during the ownership of Walter Savage Landor (1809-1864). The house may have been turned round making the rear elevation into the present front. At this time the cowhouse had its ceiling and the passage partition removed so that the lower end became a barn.

Exterior

Thinly coursed sandstone rubble with stone tile roofs. Two unit single depth house with downhill cowbyre. Two storeys.

Front elevation has the house part to the left, two windows, 8 + 8 casements under timber lintels, the upper floor ones set in gabled half dormers. These are characteristic features of Llanthony Estate improvements. Plank door with gable hood set against the stack. Double barn door replacing the cross-passage door, with taking-in door above. 5-light unglazed window with oak diamond mullions to the upper floor. Central stack with weathering for thatch.

Gable end has two C17 windows in the apex to the original 'best bedroom'.
Rear elevation has more surviving features from the original house. From the left, a lean-to privy , then the wide doorway to the cross passage evidently for cows as well as people. Above this is a 5-light unglazed window with oak diamond mullions to the upper floor. Next a double height inserted doorway of unknown purpose. The position of the hall window next surviving only as a wide dripmould. Finally at the uphill end a metal estate casement with another above it in a gabled half dormer.

Interior

Interior of the house was not available for inspection at resurvey (June 1997).
The interior of the barn shows that it was originally a cowhouse with entry off the cross-passage. The barn door incorporates the cross-passage entry and required the removal of the partition between passage and cowhouse. The blocked entry to the house can be seen in the wall, as it can to the upper room to the right of the stack. The cowhouse is now featureless. The former upper room may be like the 'best bedroom' identified by Fox and Raglan at Dan-y-Bwlch Farmhouse (qv), and this also appears at Pont Rhys Powell Farmhouse (qv); both these are close by to the east. It has windows in the gable end and a fireplace (although the stack has disappeared from the ridge) and there are remains of plaster and limewash. Principal rafter roof with ties, collars and two tiers of trenched purlins with ridge piece.

Reason for designation

Included as a particularly good example of a C17 'longhouse' later improved by the Llanthony Estate in the early/mid C19.