Letty

Cadw's description

Location

In a walled garden with cobbled flooring on the S side of the minor road which runs S of the churchyard of St Mary, Bryncroes.

History

Pair of late C18 or early C19 croglofft cottages now joined internally into a single dwelling. Marked on the 1840 Bryncroes Tithe Map as owned by Thomas Jones and occupied by William Williams.

Exterior

Whitewashed stone, single-storey cottages. Roof of small slates, laid in regular courses; two end and one off-centre stone chimneystacks with shaped caps and water tabling. Window openings have whitewashed stone lintels and thin slate sills. N Front has (l to r): Vertical 8-pane fixed light ( with top 2-pane opening light); a C20 glazed door; a 15-pane fixed light; a smaller 9-pane hornless sash; then a C20 door in two halves (with applied hinges) and finally a 4-pane horned sash window. C20 single-storey lean-to at W end, with boarded door to E. Rear elevation has (l to r) C20 glass porch; a 6-pane sash; a 4-pane casement window and a C20 window to right.

Interior

W cottage has characteristic croglofft layout with front door opening directly into the kitchen, which is open to the roof. Large fireplace recess although original stone fireplace lintel now removed; painted clay flooring squares. Cutting across the room is the original wood partition, which rises the full height of the house and has an upper doorway - now reached by a modern stair rather than the traditional loft ladder - leading to an attic bedroom. At the apex of the roof the rafters are visible and are halved over one another. The interior of the E cottage has been extensively modernised, but the position of the original croglofft is still discernible. Monolithic jambs to centre fireplace; chamfered wooden lintel.

Reason for designation

Listed as a vernacular cottage pair, a rare survival in the region of traditional croglofft type, retaining some elements of the original construction and plan; also for its group value with the nearby Church of St Mary, Bryncroes.