Ffynnon-Bedr Cottage

Cadw's description

Location

Located 1km SE of Llanbedr-y-Cennin church in a field sloping to the W; accessed via an unmetalled track leading W from the lane from Tal-y-Bont to Llanbedr-y-Cennin.

History

Early site probably associated with Medieval pilgrimage trade to the neighbouring St Peter's well. Early foundations on the site reveal a large complex to which the present cottage may relate, though in part this evidence is overlaid with 2 later agricultural buildings. Although largely remodelled in the C18 and C19, the cottage is in essence C16 or earlier and, before its flooring over and raising, was probably of open hall and service bay type. The cottage was the holiday home of the authoress Angela Brazil, and many of her novels were written here between 1904 and her death in 1949.

Exterior

2-storey 3-window cottage of whitened rubble construction with pronounced boulder foundations; modern slate roof with plain end chimneys. Off-centre (L) entrance with modern part-glazed door and 2-pane early C20 casement to L; similar, 4-pane window to R and 3 further casement windows to first floor under the eaves. To the L, a later flush lean-to with slate roof and boarded door to front. C18/C19 outshut to centre rear, raised to 2 storeys some twenty years ago; entrance to its R return, under a slated open porch. Earlier C20 gabled dormer to L, on main block roof, with 4-pane casement as before; large modern French doors to ground floor beneath. Earlier C20 brick WC extension to the R of the central projecting block, with small store to R, beyond porch entry; this with corrugated iron roof. Small, square light with plain glazing to R gable of main block.

Interior

Slate flagged floor to ground floor space; the larger hall section (to the R) is divided from the end bay to the L by a crude partition of timber uprights, the infill removed. Early C19 plain, stick-baluster stair adjoins this to the hall side, with an added mid-Victorian turned pine newel post; ball finial. Roughly-chamfered ceiling beams and narrow, shallow-chamfered joists. Large inglenook fireplace to R gable end with wide, chamfered bressummer; the walls at this end are up to 1.5m in thickness. C19 bolted collar trusses to roof.

Reason for designation

A sub-Medieval vernacular cottage with possible Late Medieval origins. Group value with other listed items at Ffynnon Bedr.