Marchogdir

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at the end of a track on the W side of the valley of the Afon Crai
some 2 km NW of Crai village.

History

Farmhouse, later C17 with added wing probably C18, and altered in the 1920s when an addition on the lower end wall was removed, the present front door and window over inserted, and presumably the two first floor windows of the wing added. There is evidence within that main house is of two periods, both late C17 or just possibly early C18, as the ceiling is stepped down to lower end. Marked on the 1840 Crai Tithe map as a holding of 76 acres occupied by David Watkins and owned by James Powell of Pantysgallog. Jane Watkins (d.1869) and Thomas Phillips (d.1867) of Marchogdir are buried in Horeb chapel graveyard.

Exterior

Farmhouse, colourwashed rubble stone with corrugated iron or asbestos sheet roofs and end wall chimneys, main range with stone right chimney and brick left chimney, and stone right chimney to rear wing. Two storeys, L-plan, the main range running downslope with a single 16-pane sash with timber lintel to left and a 9-pane sash with dripstone to right with 4-pane window under eaves above. Right end wall has c1920 5-pane sash in brick surround above c1920 doorway, both set to right. Right side has wing and behind wing half-glazed door to upper room and window. Upper gable end has slight step in stonework half way up gable and mark of a blocked opening.
Wing to right has 2 similar c1920 5-pane sashes under eaves over two square windows and former door, now window, between. No windows to end or rear wall.

Interior

Older part has downhill 2-room plan with larger chimneybreast at lower end with entry from end-wall adjacent, but it is possible that a winding stair has been lost from here. The roof is apparently of one date late C17 to early C18, but the ground floor of two, with a significant step between lower and upper rooms necessitating two beams close to each other at different levels. Lower room has 3 chamfered beams, one against fireplace, one to centre and one close to another beam at the level of the upper room ceiling. Square joists. Fireplace is infilled with black brick and a Coalbrookdale grate, lintel may have been removed.
Right side wall has been altered several times. There is a door into the wing from just inside present front door, and opposite chimneybreast, then a blocked door and finally a door to left also into the wing. There were C19 or C20 stairs against right side wall. Step up into upper room which has 3 beams also, one close to upper beam of lower room, one chamfered to centre, relatively thin but deep, and one at upper end above fireplace with stone voussoirs. Partly uncovered cupboards or recesses each side of fireplace. Loft has massive stepped chimney breast at lower end, triple purlin roof with 3 trusses. First is altered, cut at one end for junction with wing, second has plastered partition, heavy collar morticed in and third is similar, but just visible in wall beneath are vertical pieces of timber presumably linking truss feet to beam beneath. Blocked loft door at upper end.
Wing has ground floor beamed ceiling with 2 heavy beams, square joists and cambered timber lintel to fireplace. C20 inserted stairs.
Above are 2 oak trusses on small shaped oak pads, with bolted collars.

Reason for designation

Included as a well-preserved substantially C17 farmhouse, of a type once common, now mostly altered.