Old farmhouse at Plas Cemlyn

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the N side of the country road running along the N coast of the island at Cemlyn Bay. The farmstead at Plas Cemlyn is located c1km SE of the Church of St Rhywydrys, the old farmhouse is c75m NNE of the farmhouse.

History

Farmhouse with late C16 origins, extensively altered in the early-mid C19, including the reduction of the building by one bay (to the R of the chimney), to form a narrow cartshed. A cowhouse was later added.
The former farmhouse is not marked on the Tithe map of the parish of Llanrhywydrys, 1840. The early C19 farmhouse to the S is, however, marked as a single rectangle. The map is poorly annotated, not all the buildings are shown, none of the agricultural buildings are recorded and the church is marked as a broad cross; it is therefore likely that the old farmhouse was used as an agricultural building at this time, probably housing the agricultural labourers working on the farm (4 recorded in the Census Returns of 1841). The farm is recorded in the Tithe schedule as being owned by Owen John Augustus Fuller Meyrick Esq. who owned a number of farms in the Cemlyn area at the time. The farm was quite extensive, over 63 acres(25.5 hectares) and was run by Catherine Jones. Extensively restored in the 1990s.

Exterior

Three unit in-line range with stepped roofline, with a 2-storey former farmhouse to L, cartshed to centre, and cowhouse to R. Rubble walls with slobbered and pebbledashed mortar, stone lintels. Rendered slate gable coping. Gable end chimney to R of house part, with capping. Pitched roofs of small slates with reducing courses. House with boarded door to R, with horizontally proportioned window to L, with narrower window above. Single window to centre of rear elevation. All windows have modern timber frames with small panes. Low stone staircase against R gable of house leading to 1st floor. Cartshed stepped down to R is recessed and has a lower roofline, with a single wide boarded door. The cowhouse to the R end has a door to R and a small window to L, with a similar window to the R end of the rear elevation; both former ventilation slits. Blocked window to gable end. The building is located within a stone walled yard.

Interior

The main door leads into a hall with stop chamfered bressumer to inglenook fireplace. The loft is accessed from the external staircase. Replaced hewn collared truss.

Reason for designation

Listed principally as an integral part of the intact C19 farmstead at Plas Cemlyn, and of interest as representing the remains of the earlier (C16?) farmhouse on the site, adapted as service buildings for the C19 estate farm.