Hafod y Cwm

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 2.4km WSW of Nanerch village, on the W slope of the valley above Pen-y-felin and reached by private road.

History

In its present form, the house represents the dwelling of a former small farmstead with cowhouse and stables in a range at right angles to the house (partially surviving) and pigsties (also surviving). This farmstead was recorded as having 12 acres (4.86 hectares) in 1851, and 25 acres (10.13 hectares), including ffridd, in 1871. It belonged to the Peniarth estate of the Williams Wynn family until 1870 when it was acquired by the Pen Bedw estate, and remained in use as a farm until 1955. The first reference to a house is on a burial of 1800 in the churchyard at Nannerch, and there is little in the surviving fabric to suggest a building any earlier than the late C18 (though the site may well have a longer history of use). Visual evidence suggests a one and a half storeyed house, raised in height, perhaps when the Pen Bedw estate acquired it in the later C19.

Exterior

Small former farmhouse. 2-storeyed, 2-window range of whitewashed rubble with slate roof and brick end stacks. Central doorway with slate lintel and boarded door with vertical ribs and inserted glazed panel. Flanking windows are 4-pane horizontally sliding sashes with brick sills and segmental heads (possibly inserted in later C19 improvement works); small pantry window is to right (possibly in former doorway). Upper windows beneath the eaves are modern casements in earlier openings, also with brick sills. A clear line in the stonework below these windows probably marks an earlier eaves height, and the present roof and chimneys are likely to be the work of the Pen Bedw estate. Lean-to on left gable end is modified from the originally lofted bake-house/brewhouse: half-glazed door and window, both in earlier openings with brick segmental heads. Modern conservatory against right hand gable, and lean-to and conservatory added against rear wall which was originally built into the bank.

Interior

The house retains its original 2-unit plan, with the doorway opening to the larger right-hand room. This retains heavy, roughly chamfered lateral beam with plain joists, and timber lintel to deep fireplace with remains of bread-oven to the rear. Alongside the fireplace, is a small pantry, with boarded door with slats above. Staircase (probably inserted c1870) runs between the two rooms, from the rear. Left-hand room was formerly dairy or back kitchen, and retains slate slab. In the brewhouse beyond, the domed bread oven and copper boiler survive intact.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare surviving small vernacular farmhouse retaining traditional character, including good interior features.