Cae Glas

Cadw's description

Location

Located .5km W of Croesor on an elevated site on the N side of the Maesgwm valley; accessed via a long farm track running W from the main street at Croesor. Set behind low rubble forecourt walls.

History

Mid or third-quarter C16 storeyed end chimney house, originally with cross-passage plan. The house is significant as belonging to a class of early storeyed examples which can be seen as prototypical of the developed Snowdonia storied end chimney type; the persistence of cusped windbracing in the upper hall/solar space and the cross-passage plan are the survivals of the late medieval open hall tradition. Similarly, the corbelling-out of the first-floor chimney is an early diagnostic feature amongst this class of buildings. Lower service and stable/byre additions of the late C17/early C18 were added to the rear and to the NE respectively; C19 and C20 alterations to openings, including the re-location of the entrance to a central position.

Exterior

Storeyed end chimney house of whitened rubble construction on boulder foundations; L-plan including rear addition. Modern slate roof and projecting, gabled chimneys, that to the L (SW) gable corbelled-out at first-floor level; squat stacks. Near-centre entrance with modern boarded door, a late C19 opening. The original entrance, to the L, was reduced at the same time to form a recessed 6-pane sash window; the rough slate-stone voussoirs of the primary entrance are still visible above. Further sash to R of present entrance. The first floor has two small, square 6-pane sashes; to the L an external slate-stepped stair gives access to a C19 upper entrance, now with modern glazed door. Lower service wing to rear, construction as before with squat end chimney; recessed entrance to SW side with modern part-glazed door. Small original window openings to rear of primary block on both sides of the extension; modern windows to SW gable on both floors. Adjoining flush to the L (NE), a 2-bay addition of whitened rubble with slated roof; plain cart entrance to centre, corrugated iron lean-to beyond.

Interior

Former cross-passage, demonstrated by opposing original entrances and mortising evidence for former post-and-panel screens (a section of which has been removed and is stored in the adjoining byre - 6/97). Flat, stopped-chamfered bressummer to wide fireplace in former hall (to R) and chamfered main beams visible in ground-floor rooms (joists plastered over); slate-flagged floors. Late C19 pine stick baluster stair with turned newel. The first-floor hall/solar is still partly open to the (4-bay) roof, the remainder is visible in the attic; this is of 3 bays with fine collar-and raking strut trusses, two tiers of cusped windbraces and original purlins and rafters; original projecting oak trenails. Beyond the solar a former partition truss (now open) divided bays 3 and 4, the latter a sleeping chamber.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a second-half C16 regional storeyed house.