Bron-y-foel-isaf

Cadw's description

Location

In a remote position about 2 km NE of Coed Ystumgwern, reached by track on S side of minor road.

History

Built circa 1580. Substantial submedieval gentry house of regional "Snowdonia" type; described in "Houses of the Welsh Countryside" as "one of the most remarkable of the end chimney cross-passage houses". The house has a number of quasi-medieval features, eg the unusually lofty first floor with its elaborate ceiling, the remarkable latrine block, the tight stone stair. The house may have had a public function, being described in 1588 as a "byrllys". It may have been built by Rees ap Tudor who had married Marsli, the daughter of Edward Stanley, the Constable of Harlech Castle. The land had belonged to his father, Tudor ap Wiliam Fychan, an illegitimate member of the Corsygedol family. Tudor Price (son of Rees ap Tudor) mortgaged the estate in 1591 and as Theodore Price pursued a clerical career in England. He died in 1631, having lived as an "unpreaching epicure and Arminian...a reconciled papist to the Church of Rome" (DWB, p791. The house passed to the son of his sister, was sequestrated during The Commonwealth, passing to the Corsygedol estate by the C18.

The owner relates a family tradition that Theodore Price, on returning from college told his mother that they used better buildings at Oxford as stables than the newly built house at Bron-y-Foel!

The range to rear, with former dairy, cutting shed etc probably dates from the early C19.

Exterior

Two-and-a-half storey farmhouse. Local stone (rendered to front), slate roof, tall square stone chimneys to ends. Three window front has, on first floor, larger central casement window flanked by small sash windows. On ground floor, doorway, offset to L, heavy stone work of cyclopean doorway partly visible where render is missing; 4-pane sash window to each side. To L, 2-storey latrine projection (which served both floors) with lean-to slate roof. Left elevation has square window to first and second floors, 2 small windows to attic. Right elevation has 2 small windows to each floor and attic (except for L ground floor window which is enlarged).

To rear, at right angles, single storey outbuilding range; local stone with slate roofs. South elevation has doorway flanked by square windows; square stone chimney to R; beyond this 3 pigsties; rear has remains of cutting shed and waterwheel.

Interior

Door leads to cross-passage retaining parts of post-and-panel partitions to front of house; wooden stair to rear (C18?). At rear of passage, entrance to basement (former dairy) originally entered from outside. To L of passage, kitchen, and entrance to latrine. To R, hall with large open fireplace with heavy wooden beam. To L of fireplace, original tightly winding stone stair ascends to first floor and attic. Unusually high first floor (circa 3m) with elaborate ceiling of 4 bays, 12 panels framed 3 ways with stopped chamfers to both beams and joists. C19 partitioning; blocked fireplace to N. In attic, roof has 3 original collar-beam trusses with raking struts.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as exceptionally well preserved submedieval gentry house which has a number of quasi-medieval features, eg the unusually lofty first floor with its elaborate ceiling, the remarkable latrine block and the tight stone stair.