Little Beech Hill

Cadw's description

Location

On the lower slopes of the Graig Syfyrddin approximately 2km SW of Grosmont, reached via a track which runs W off the minor road between Hoaldalbert and Cross Ash.

History

The house in origin is an early C16 cruck-framed hall house, but during the C17 the external walls were encased in stone, a floor inserted into the open hall, and a parlour and service rooms added at the uphill end.

Exterior

Rubble stone; slate roof, stone stacks. Two storey farmhouse with centre stack and two end-stacks; E Gable chimney projects and flue is set-back. S front first floor has three C20 windows and ground floor (l to r), a C20 conservatory, gabled wooden porch, a 6-pane window and glazed double doors. Rear elevation faces farmyard. On left side are two dormers with monopitch roofs; these spring below eaves and have C20 windows. On right side are two first floor windows: a long narrow light at eaves level, and a C20 window beyond. Ground floor (l to r) has a C20 window, then a tall 2-light, next a fixed 4-pane and finally a smaller C20 window. Attached to lower gable is a single-storey C20 kitchen block.

Interior

Surviving fragment of cruck blade on N wall of former open hall. Principal ground-floor room has C17 chamfered ceiling beams with straight cut stops. Doorway to parlour has chamfered oak frame and four centred arch to head. Parlour is stone flagged with transverse and axial ceiling beams which are chamfered with straight cut stops. Exceptionally wide C17 fireplace opening has great monolithic lintel and jambs, both with chamfers. Transverse post and panel partition separates parlour from upper service end. Partition doorway has C20 restored door-head, and enlarged jambs (probably to ease transport of cider casks). On first floor no surviving cruck blades are visible; these were probably cut-through when the roof was raised.

Reason for designation

Substantial C17 farmhouse with earlier origins. Good C17 interior detail.