Upper House Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the end of a long farm track leading off the east side of the road up the Grwyne Valley 2.5 kilometres from the Five Crossroads. It is sited end on to the slope high on the valley side.

History

Early C17 gable end entry, two unit, two storey regional house with later C17 agricultural range added downslope to give longhouse form with common entry. Agricultural range converted to domestic use in late C19; little change since then apart from being rewindowed in c1990.

Exterior

Two storey, two window original house to right with later two storey two window range stepped down to left. Coursed rubble masonry, whitewashed to front. Eaves raised to give moderately pitched corrugated metal sheeting roof. Rendered C19 stacks, (added to agricultural range). 2-light casement windows to first floor set under eaves, all 3 + 3 replacements dating from c1990. Small window to extreme right, dripstone over. 3-light casement window to hall, also of c1990. Doorway to former cross passage on right of former agricultural part. Plank door, heavy chamfered frame, timber lintel. c1990 3-light casement window to left, cambered brick voussoir arch. Blocked window to first floor of upslope gable end, dripstones over. Small original diagonally-set unglazed timber mullioned window to ground floor right.

C18 continuous outshut to rear of house. Coursed rubble, corrugated iron roof. 4 pane fixed light windows to end elevations. Apsidal rubble oven projection to right, lean-to original stone slate roof. Modern rubble lean-to obscures rear door of cross passage on left of agricultural part. Single light casement over, 2 light casement to ground floor right.

Interior

Original interior layout retained with hall and two service rooms. Former cross-passage gives access to doorway in gable end of original house. Plank and batten door with strap hinges and pintle hinge. The inglenook fireplace has been walled up. Stone staircase alongside with a strap and pintle hung plank door and a blocked stair window. Stop chamfered transverse ceiling beams. The end beam rests on crude corbels against end wall over the inglenook. The joists have been boarded over. Doorway cut to later lean-to in place of the window in rear wall of hall. Stone flagged floor. Original plank and muntin partition with doorways to either end. This has chamfered muntins, with broached stops to those flanking the doorways. Parlour to right with plastered ceiling. 3-light diagonally set timber mullioned window to service room. The first floor plank and muntin partition may survive. Access later cut to the loft over the agricultural range. Three bay roof which has two collared through purlin trusses with original staggered purlins. Agricultural range was refurbished for domestic use when derelict in later C19. One principal rafter truss with tie missing, the roof timbers have otherwise been replaced.

Reason for designation

Included as a well preserved example of a C17 farmhouse having good group value with the listed farmyard buildings.