Braint

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the SE side of the B5420 on its southern approach to the village of Penmynydd; c2km SE of the church of St Gredifael.

History

Late C18 farmhouse, probably contemporary with the oldest part of the adjacent agricultural range which has the date painted on one of the trusses: 1792. The Tithe Map of the parish, 1843, is well detailed and shows the house and some of the agricultural buildings at the farmstead. The property was owned by Thomas Peers Williams Esq and farmed by Owen Owens. The farm was quite extensive and in the Census Returns for the parish of 1851 is recorded as being 230 acres (93.2 hectares); 6 labourers were employed. A second farmhouse was built in the later C19, and the farm was worked as two units until the mid C20. At this point the two farms were amalgamated and the original farmhouse left empty. The farmhouse was derelict at the time of the inspection, and the rear roof pitch had collapsed.

Exterior

Linear range comprising a 2-storey, 3-window farmhouse, with a 2-unit service wing and servant's quarters to the L (NE), built in-line and slightly back from the house; to the R (SW) is a single storey lean-to. Built of rubble masonry, with large quoins and fine stonework, formerly limewashed. The R gable return of the house has slate hung cladding. Roofs of small slates, the house with tiled ridge and coping.

The house has slender rectangular gable stacks with dripstones and capping. Each unit of the service wing has a shorter cruder stack to the L (NE). The principal elevation formerly faced the road to the NW, a 3-window range with central doorway (now blocked); ground floor with 4-pane sash windows, 1st floor 12-paned hornless sash windows, all with slate sills. The rear elevation mirrors the front, with 4-pane horned sash windows with slate sills; central boarded door under a shallow fanlight.

The first unit of the service wing immediately L of the house has a single doorway to the R and a small ground floor 4-pane horned sash window to its L; there is a small paned casement set under the eaves in the rear elevation. The second unit to the far L of the range has a central doorway and small 4-pane loft light set directly under the eaves and offset to its L; there is a similarly detailed light to the rear.

The single storey lean-to is a later addition and has a widened opening with RSJ as lintel; there is a small boarded opening to the rear.

Reason for designation

Listed notwithstanding condition, as a good C18 estate-built vernacular farmhouse, which together with the adjacent agricultural range forms an important part of the complete farmstead group at Braint.