Pen-y-braich

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in an edge-of-moorland location within its own stone-walled small field system at the end of a track running south from Rhosgadfan.

History

Shown on the 1839 Tithe Map with its existing field system already in place, the smallholding is likely to have been established in the early C19, and although this is not clear from the Tithe Apportionment, its plan-form suggests that it may have been occupied by 2 family units, who probably supplemented their income by working in the nearby Moel Tryfan Quarry, operational by 1800. The cottage is now one unit of accommodation.

Exterior

Pair of single-storey cottages, aligned roughly north-east to south-west, the larger (to the right) of 2-room plan, the smaller a single room, both with small lean-tos to the rear. Painted rubblestone; slate roof. Right cottage has C20 four-paned top-hung windows (replicating C19 sashes) to either side of offset plank door. Rebuilt integral end stack to right and similar ridge stack to left at junction with left cottage, also with top-hung windows, one to centre, the other immediately to the left of the ridge stack in infill of former doorway; integral end stack to left. Probably truncated outbuilding slightly set down from gable end of right cottage has tin roof and boarded double doors to front. Rear lean-tos have top-hung windows to back walls with C20 boarded door between in main back wall.

Interior

Interior not accessible at time of Survey.

Reason for designation

Included, notwithstanding a degree of alteration, as a good example of a typical early C19 encroachment, surrounded by moorland, characteristic of the area; built in the local vernacular tradition and set within its own small field system, which may have supported 2 families, the cottage forms a highly distinctive and prominent component of the settlement/encroachment landscape associated with the early exploitation of slate quarries in this area.