Middle Gaer

Cadw's description

Location

On E side of a minor road N of A40 at Kestrel Inn, and standing on S side of a junction with road to Lower Gaer.

History

Early C17 farmhouse either replacing or additional to the C16 house at Middle Gaer, and possibly therefore an example of Cyfran, the division of holding equally among sons. The original house had an outside cross passage and may have been a true longhouse. A cider cellar is said to have been added soon after, followed by a scullery and dairy, and a kitchen in a cross wing. The house was extensively improved c1900 with new fenestration and new internal partitions and stairs.

Exterior

Two-storey main range with lower 2-storey scullery and dairy attached to L (S) gable end, which has 2-storey kitchen wing in front, forming an L-plan. Colour-washed rubble walls and slate roof. The main range has roughcast stacks to R and centre and its walls are battered at the base. The front has 4 late C19 horned sashes to upper storey, and 2 similar windows to lower storey flanking a boarded up front door R of centre (which opened into the original cross passage). To L, in the angle with the kitchen wing, is a late C19 porch. The R gable end has a corbelled 1st-floor stack. In the rear elevation are two 2-light casements in the upper storey, a similar window to L in lower storey, which has an inserted pantry window to its R, all late C19. To R in lower storey is a later 2-light casement in earlier opening. In the scullery to S is a late C19 horned sash in upper storey and 2-light casement below. (Attached to S end of scullery is a former cow house.) The kitchen wing has a stone end stack. To the front it has a late C19 horned sash L of porch, and a similar window in the upper storey.

Small figure or statuette of Iron Age or Romano-British character, carved from Old Red Sandstone, built into the west-facing wall. The figure measures approximately. 40cm tall and has a simple torso with a flat base, narrow neck and flat, oval head with pronounced oval eyes, nose and mouth. The figure is carved largely in relief and was seemingly intended to stand on a flat base. In its style and appearance it is consistent with figures of Late Iron Age or Roman period deities. It is a rare survival for Wales.

Interior

Not inspected but the following features were recorded by RCAHMW in 1994: The main room retains a post-and-panel partition; the scullery leads to a cider cellar which retains a shallow rubble shelf for cider barrels, while the dairy retains salting slabs; a former attic stair beside the main chimney has been removed; the roof trusses have tenoned collars.

Reason for designation

Special historic and architectural interest as a good example of a sub-medieval Breconshire farmhouse, and part of an impressive group of early houses at Middle and Upper Gaer.