Tylcha Wen including attached range of former outbuildings

Cadw's description

Location

Set down from the road at right angles to the valley bottom and facing S. Now surrounded by modern housing.

History

Early C17 house, originally with a 2-unit lobby-entry plan-form with porch. In 1682 it was recorded by the owner, John David, in an inventory, where it was valued at £262 and had a hall, kitchen, 2 chambers over, a storeyed porch, and a barn, stable and cow house. The barn had been added to the W end of the house in the later C17 and was subsequently converted to a cow house. A major change occurred, possibly in the C18, when the kitchen unit was converted to a stable and the porch was removed, making the house considerably smaller. The openings to the house are C19, and the rear wing, originally a dairy, is probably contemporary.

Exterior

Two-window house of one-and-a-half-storeys with long adjoining farm range to the W. Constructed of rubble stone, the house rendered, under slate roofs. Large rendered ridge stack between house and farm range (originally behind the porch) and smaller rendered stack to E end. The door is to the far R with a window to the L. The windows above are aligned and rise to the eaves. All are set in wooden surrounds, the lower storey openings with dripmoulds. They contain late C20 wooden glazing, the door in a similar style.

To the L of the house is a bulge in the wall, marking the position of the former porch. The front wall of the farm range is highly irregular, revealing signs of historic alterations. To the R of the bulge is a ventilation slit, and to the L, a multi-pane metal casement window, inset with stone lintel and sill. This is probably an original window opening. Small opening to loft above. Immediately to the L is a planked door with flat head. Further L is the cow house. It is set back a little from the house and stable with a slightly lower roof line. To the R is a low planked door with timber lintel. To the L are the remains of a dripstone, and further L a window with segmental head and brick surround containing a multi-pane metal casement. This was probably a door originally. Above is a C20 window, part of the infill of a larger opening, with a dripstone. To the far L is a blocked door opening retaining part of a dripstone. Slight buttress at the angle. The W gable end is built on substantial stone foundations and has a dove hole in the apex with projecting stone lintel and sill.

To the rear, the former cow house has a planked door to the centre with timber lintel and part of a dripstone. The roof pitch is covered with corrugated iron. To the rear of the stable is a planked loft opening with stone sill, possibly an original window. Offset below to the R is a blocked doorway with segmental voussoir head. Gabled rear wing to house with shallow roof and ridge stack. Small C20 porch and kitchen lean-to at N end with door to E. Small lean-to against W side. The windows are in the same style as the front. Upper storey window to gable with dripmould, blocked opening with similar dripmould to L. The E side has a window to each storey, with another above the W lean-to. To the rear of the main range, L of the wing, is a late C20 window.

Interior

Inside the front door, the hall has been partitioned to form a narrow stair hall at the E end, with straight stairs leading to the attic storey. The hall has deep chamfered cross beams with cut stops with fillets. In the W wall is a C20 stone fireplace surround, to the R of which are stone fireplace stairs, now blocked off. To the L was a doorway into the stable (original kitchen of house), also blocked off. The rear wing, formerly the dairy, is modernised. Original roof trusses are retained upstairs with a corridor along the N side.

The stable and cow house are now used for storage. The former (originally the kitchen) retains deeply chamfered cross beams as in the hall, while a doorway with chamfered Tudor-arched head leads into it from the cow house. The attic above the stable, originally an upper chamber, is said to retain its original timber work.

Reason for designation

Listed as an early C17 farm house clearly exhibiting several stages of development up to the C19, including reduction in size.