Blaennantgwinne Cottages

Cadw's description

Location

To the south side of Nant Gwenlais, and reached from the present-day hamlet of Pentregwenlais by a lane north of the road.

History

Late C18 or early C19 cottages, included in the Tithe Survey, 1840, as Pentregwenlais cottages and gardens, owned by the Cawdor estate and occupied by William Owen. The two cottages were closed as unfit in the late 1960s. They are a remnant of what was formerly the thriving industrial hamlet of Pentregwenlais.

Exterior

Pair of cottages facing north, in rubble masonry with several courses of brickwork near to the eaves. Corrugated sheet roofing. The height in both cases suggests a croglofft. Each cottage has a central vertically boarded door between two windows. Central stone chimney shared by the two cottages. Small loft window in the east gable, of four panes. Both cottages have the window nearer to the central chimney smaller than the other. One casement window of six panes survives in the left cottage, one four-pane sash window in the right. There is also a single doorway in the rear wall, opposite to the chimney.
The floor level of the left cottage is about 0.5m higher than the right cottage.

Reason for designation

A pair of small early C19 cottages, retaining vernacular character and of a type now rare in this part of Carmarthenshire.