Coed-y-cra Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

On the N side of a minor road between the A55 and Flint, in a farmyard with large L-shaped farm range.

History

Coed y cra is mentioned as early as 1539 and was purchased by the Grosvenor Estate in 1804. The early house is shown on the 1839 Tithe map. The present house was built in the mid C19 to replace the original house, but in 2 phases. A rear wing, probably built as 2 labourers' cottages, is later than the main house although both are shown, with a large L-shaped farm range characteristic of the estate, on the 1870 Ordnance Survey. The porch was added to the main house in the final quarter of the C19 and is first shown on the 1899 Ordnance Survey.

The Grosvenor family owned an extensive estate and mineral rights in the Halkyn area. Halkyn Castle was built for the second Earl Grosvenor in 1824-7 and was used as an occasional residence. The Earl was later made Duke of Westminster.

Exterior

A 2-storey farmhouse square in plan, of rubble stone and larger quoins, and with hipped slate roof and 2 central brick stacks with stone rustication. The 3-bay front has rock-faced lintels and hornless 12-pane sash windows, except lower R where a French door has been inserted in place of the original window. The central roughcast porch has a moulded parapet and fielded panel door in its L side wall. The 3-window R side wall has round-headed sash windows, but the central bay has plain sashes with round-headed overlights. The L side wall has small-pane windows upper centre lighting the stairs, and lower R. In the lower storey 2 shallow-arched former stone door heads are built into the wall, probably reclaimed from the earlier house. The 2-window rear has small-pane sashes in the upper storey, with blocked window lower R and replaced small-pane window lower L. A central doorway under a stone lintel is inserted mid C20.

An added rear wing is attached to the rear angle of the house and probably originally formed a pair of labourers' cottages. It is of rubble stone with pecked stone lintels and jambs and slate roof with central brick ridge stack. It has a 2-window front with 16-pane sash windows, and boarded doors to the outer sides. Set back against the L gable end is a monopitched projection with a lintel under a boarded door and brick side wall. An added lean-to is behind the wing, which has a boarded door in its end wall.

Interior

Not inspected.

Reason for designation

A well-preserved C19 farmhouse retaining strong estate character and of unusual form with attached labourers' cottages.