Trem-y-mynydd, with associated front walls

Cadw's description

Location

The village of Porth-y-nant lies at the bottom of a narrow valley NW of Llithfaen. The terrace named Trem-y-mynydd forms the N side of the open square.

History

Porth-y-nant was the name given to the new settlement planned and built for the exploitation of the granite deposits in Nant Gwrtheyrn, which was begun by Hugh Owen in 1851. The village was built by a new purchaser, Mr Dodd from c1863 and completed by a Mr Benthal. The present houses were built in c1875 by the then quarry operators Kneeshaw and Lupton. It housed workers in two main terraces of dwellings which were considered an advanced provision for quarry workers at the time. The terraces are set around an open communal square, together with company offices, a shop and bakehouse. Later, the manager's house and a chapel, erected in 1878, were added. The village, which continued to serve the three large quarries, Cae'r Nant, Porth-y-nant, and Carreg-y-llam, produced large quantities of granite setts and kerbs, particularly for Manchester, Liverpool and Birkenhead, and continued to operate until 1914. Significant quantities of aggregates and building stone were also produced. The last person left in 1959, and after years of neglect and vandalism, the buildings were revived at the expense of ARC Aggregates as a home for the National Language School sponsored by Dr Carl Iwan Clowes in 1978, its courses beginning in 1982. Trem-y-mynydd, originally called Mountain View, forms the N side of the open square with the manager's house set apart at the W end.

Exterior

The terrace of 11 houses is built of rubble stonework with slate roofs, hipped at the E end, and stepping down the fall of the ground. Two storeys throughout, the houses are both single and double bays, the smaller with a front parlour, a rear dining room and kitchen. Stairs rise from the front room to the two bedrooms. Doors and windows were renewed after 1978; framed and battened doors with overlights, and 12-pane sash windows with stone sills and lintels. Stone stacks on the part walls. Each house has a walled front garden with access to a walled footpath running down directly to the manager's house. Houses are now named from the W: Can Llaw'r bont, Porth-y-Wawr, Clwydfa, Ty-y-Faner, Treforgan, Rhuthun, Aelhaearn (double), and Dwyfor (also double).

Interior

The interiors were completely modernised in 1979.

Reason for designation

Included as a critical component of the mid-later C19 complete new industrial settlement planned by the successful quarries of Nant Gwrtheyrn, considered at the time to be advanced in design due to a rising social awareness of the benefits of good quality provision for quarry workers.