Rhiwfelen

Cadw's description

Location

Located approx. 1.5km SE of Penegoes, set down from the S side of a minor road, and above the Afon Crewi.

History

The original house was a probably early-mid C16 3-unit single-storeyed hall house of cruck-framed construction, comprising a central hall with one room at its upper end, and a further room at its lower end, beyond a cross passage. In the first half of the C17, this peasant hall house was adapted as a storeyed house, and a back-to-back fireplace was inserted in the cross-passage, with diagonally set twin shafts to the chimney. A substantial storeyed porch (partially timber-framed) was added to the original entrance on the E side, now opening onto the central stack to give a lobby entry arrangement in the regional tradition. The hall became a kitchen, and the room beyond the cross-passage became a parlour, with some high-status features, including a deeply chamfered framed ceiling and an elaborate plaster overmantel.

In the mid C18, the house was enlarged by the addition of a cross-wing to the rear of the C17 parlour. The house was reorientated, its new main elevation facing NW away from the yard, with central entrance and stair passage between the old C17 parlour and a new parlour in the added wing. The earlier entrance in the porch on the E elevation was probably blocked at this time. Then, in around 1800, a service wing was added behind the C18 parlour block; it included a bakehouse / brewhouse with a service stair and a first floor granary.

Exterior

The original house, facing NE, is single-storey with attic, with small 2-storey cross-wing (the storeyed C17 porch) to R, partly in front of the N unit. When inspected in 2005, it retained some timber-framing with lath infill to front (rendered over), and a plinth; rubble stone rear and gable end walls, and graded slate roof. Within the original main range, to the rear of the porch wing is a stone stack with 2 diagonally set shafts. Other detail noted on inspection in 2005 included entrance to central unit with boarded door with 2 small lights above; 3 x 2-light casement windows to the left, of irregular size with iron or wooden glazing; blocked window to upper storey in SE gable end; 2 x 2-light wooden windows in rear elevation, that to L with dripstone. The porch wing has stone stack to gable end, blocked ground floor doorway, and 2 small wooden windows to the 1st floor; single window to R-return. The C18 range facing NW, is 2-storey and 3-window, constructed of random stone under a slate roof with stone stack to R. The front incorporates the NW gable end of the earlier house to the L bay, and the L-hand return contains a tall, blocked opening. Central entrance with open gabled wooden porch with decorated barge boards, inside which is a panelled door. Detail includes segmental brick heads to openings, and 12-pane hornless sash windows; the lower L window has a slate-hung lintel. The windows to R are lower as the ground falls in this direction. Lean-to service range to rear with stone corner stack and wide window.

Interior

In the original range, the hall retains a surviving cruck truss and two lateral ceiling beams, one originally supported by an ovolo-moulded post (no longer in situ). C17 parlour has ceiling with 2 deeply chamfered cross-beams with lambs-tongue stops, and similar joists. To the R is a large fireplace, with elaborate plaster overmantel; flanking wooden settles were noted on inspection in 2005; a doorway on its L side leads into the cross-wing (not seen). On the upper side of the hall is a timber-framed partition to 2 unheated inner rooms (probably originally a single room), with deeply chamfered spine beams; the larger one to the E was a dairy with salting slab; the foot of a 2nd cruck is visible in front of the end wall. Some of the partition panels retain wattle infill.

The C18 wing has central dog-leg stair with vase shaped newel and ramped handrail. Parlour to right of entrance with lugged fireplace and six-panelled door. Principal bedroom over the parlour with dentilled fireplace with smaller room over the entrance.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a cruck-framed hall house of c1550, later extended and altered with significant phases of addition in the early C17 and the mid C18. retaining character and detail from several periods.