Fachwen-ganol

Cadw's description

Location

To the east side of a minor road 1 km north of Pont-Llogel

History

A house probably of C15 origins. It was originally timber-framed, and one cruck frame survives. The two frames to the north end of the house are of box-frame type. Its reconstruction in stone appears to have taken place in more than one phase, as there is a discontinuity between the stonework of the lower and upper storeys on the east side which suggests part predates the formation of the upper storey and probably the insertion of the main chimney.

In c.1950 a published plan shows the hall (marked 'living room') plus two small service rooms to the north of the main chimney, a coalhouse and staircase (probably the remnant of an original cross passage) immediately to the south of the chimney, and a dairy and back kitchen at the south end of the house. This identified the house as then belonging to the outside-cross-passage plan type, and shows relationship to the long-house type assuming the back kitchen to have been originally a byre.

In 1844 the house was recorded as the farmhouse of an 82 acre (33 hectare) tenancy on the Wynnstay estate. Outside stairs to the loft over the back-kitchen (in the 1950 photograph) suggest that this loft may recently have been a farm hands' lodging.

Exterior

A house ranging north/south and facing east, in axe-dressed uncoursed masonry with slight traces of limewash; a slate roof and tile ridge, with a stone mid-chimney just north of the entrance and an end-chimney at the south gable. The house is planned downslope to the south and its floor is on four levels although the roof is level; the change being evident also in the levels of the ground storey windows.

At front (east) the ground storey openings include a central door with modern light timber porch at the position of the original cross-passage. Below this, in the back-kitchen or possibly former byre section are are a door at left with a timber lintel and two modern windows with segmental arches. Above the door in the original domestic part are a single window and a door (recently formed at another former window position) at right both with segmental arches. Above there are five three-light small-pane upper windows of C19 type.

At rear there are modern windows and a stone-built rear extension with low-pitch lean-to roof.

Interior

A hall house converted to outside-cross-passage type, with one surviving cruck frame seen from first floor level up at the rear of the main chimney. At the upper end of the hall (last frame but one from north) there is a post-and-panel partition (its door originally at the west side, now at east).

At the south gable is a second chimney serving a large hearth below and a small chamber hearth above.

Reason for designation

A house originating as mediaeval hall of cruck type, retaining one cruck truss and preserving its overall vernacular form and character nothwithstanding much alteration.