Old longhouse at Nantyfedw

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 1.3km ESE of Cymmer, on high ground overlooking the Afan valley, and reached by farm roads E of A4107 or N of Croeserw.

History

An early C17 longhouse. The house was superseded when a new farmhouse was built in the late C19, subsequent to which the old house was used for animal accommodation and latterly for storage.

Exterior

A one-and-a-half-storey longhouse of rubble stone with a steeply pitched roof of corrugated asbestos cement sheets on original trusses, and with a square stone ridge stack. The layout is unusual because the house is at the downhill end and the byre is at the uphill end. On the S side, the main doorway to the byre is offset to the R from the position of the stack. The doorway has a modern head. Further R is an inserted window below the eaves, with brick jamb. To the L of the main doorway is an inserted doorway with cement lintel, a hall window further L with drip stone and a doorway to the original parlour with drip stone converted from an earlier window. Against the lower gable end is a lean-to pig sty with a walled pen in front of it, added by the Dunraven Estate in the C19. Above this are ventilation strips below the apex and upper L, while upper R is a narrow window. The uphill gable end has an inserted window under a drip stone. To the rear is an original small stairlight under a drip stone. To the L the byre has an original doorway and a window to its R in a brick surround.

Interior

The main door opens to the cow house, which has stalls inserted in the 1930s. The stubs of former loft floor beams are visible in the walls. The 4-bay roof has curved-foot principals. A round-headed doorway leads to the hall beside the fireplace. This has a chamfered timber bressumer. To its L is a round-headed doorway across the angle leading to the stone winding stair. The hall has closely spaced cross beams. Of these, 2 cross beams have stepped stops and are cut to carry joists. They therefore appear to have been re-used and brought from another site. A stone partition divides hall from parlour, but its date is uncertain and may have been inserted after the house was converted for storage use. The 3-bay roof over the house has curved-foot principals and added collars.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare surviving example of a sub-medieval longhouse retaining original plan form and detail.