Gorllwynuchaf

Location

The house stands alone on the moorland of Mynydd Gorllwyn, and is reached by a track approximately 1500m long from the Prenteg to Cwmystradllyn minor road.

History

A fine sub-medieval house probably originally timber framed throughout, built probably in the C16. The death of Robert ap William of Gorllwyn is recorded in 1624. At some undefined later stage the outer walls were replaced in stone.

Exterior

Built of rubble stonework enclosing a cruck-framed structure, with a slate roof, with rooflights, between raised coped gables probably replacing heather thatch. One storey and attic, 3 bays, with a massive external stack and a narrower outbuilding at the opposite end. Boarded door opens into the central bay, with a corresponding back door. Deeply set small windows, with modern frames and glazing. In the C19 a water wheel was located at the rear of the upper bay to provide power for domestic purposes, the launder crossing the back of the house above doorhead level. An in-line outbuilding is attached at the upper end.

Interior

The internal structure consists of two complete cruck trusses, halved and pegged at the apex, and with a tenoned and pegged collar beam and tie. Principal rafters on the back of the crucks. The tie beams which carried the wall plates are lower than the present walls, indicating that the external walls have been raised or rebuilt in stone. Some original rafters pegged to the purlin. The left bay, now the living room, is open to the roof, and has exposed purlins and rafters, one purlin with a scarf joint at the end perhaps suggesting a lost third bay. The central bay contains the entrance and the C19-C20 stair, and is divided from the upper bay by a post and panel partition. The upper rail bears evidence of three doorways originally opening into a subdivided upper bay. A rear door opens besides the stair. The upper bay contains the kitchen, and has a tie beam at the gable end offering some further evidence that the building was originally timber framed. Single tier of heavy square purlins, without windbraces. C19 stone flag floors. The gable end fireplace has a high chamfered lintel.

Reason for designation

Included at II* as an excellent and virtually unaltered example of a sub-medieval farmhouse built within the cruck tradition on an upland site, with good internal detail.