Old Forge House

Cadw's description

Location

S of the minor road junction, some 300m NE of Llangattock Lingoed Church.

History

Rare surviving probably late C15 three bay, cruck framed hall-house. Only two centre open cruck trusses of the former open hall survive. The hall was subsequently floored, probably in the early C17, when a third room, the forge, was added at the E end. The house survived with few subsequent changes, but by the late C20 had fallen into serious disrepair. Subsequently, during the late 1990s, it has been carefully repaired and renovated.

Exterior

Limewashed rubble stone; stone tiles laid in diminishing courses. Single storey plus attic. S front comprises house (left) and attached forge with lower roof line (right). Ground floor of house has two restored 4-light diamond mullion windows with dripstones; and forge, a C20 porch and (right) a C20 2-light casement. W gable has C20 3-light mullion in upper gable, and C20 boarded door and 2+2 casement on ground floor. E elevation a restored 3-light diamond mullion (left), then a restored C17 2-light diamond mullion, and (right) a C20 4-light window with dripstone.

Interior

Former gable entry to hall-house (now through C20 porch). Entrance doorway has Tudor-arched head and plank and batten door with applied cover fillets and strap hinges. Two unit plan with hall and partitioned service rooms at lower end. Hall has chamfered ceiling beams with hollow and fillet (Wern-hir) stops and joists with roll moulding at the angles. Fine post and panel partition has chamfered posts with double bead moulding. Doorways (at each end) have plank and batten doors with applied fillets. Service rooms are separated by similar partition; C20 joists match those in hall. Fireplace stair from hall gives access to upper floor. Two open cruck trusses of former three-bayed hall survive and the smoke blackened roof timbers of former open hall are visible. An additional framed truss has been inserted, and a collar added to each pair of crucks. The forge contains remains of the former bellows and flue.

Reason for designation

Included as rare and well-preserved example of a C15 three-bay hall-house, including fine detail of the C17, when the house was extended and a floor inserted in the former open hall.