Betws-bach

Cadw's description

Location

The farmhouse lies on a minor road running N-S parallel and to the W of the B4411 and Rhos-lan, and S of Ynys.

History

A gentry house built in the late C17 on land originally held by the Bishop of Bangor up to 1649, by the Vaughan family of Corsedol. Robert Williams [Robert ap Gwilym Ddu] the poet and hymn writer, [1766-1850] lived and farmed here, and here he lost his young daughter in 1834. The house has been altered and modernised in the C20.

Exterior

Built of rubble stonework, with a slate roof and gable stacks, the gable end and chimneys rendered. 2 storey and attics. The original building consists of two main rooms divided by a through corridor to a rear stair in a widened section. The room on the left was probably the main kitchen-living area, with a large open fireplace; the room on the right a parlour. A through passage extended along the rear wall. The building was extended to the N and W by 2 bays, with a gable stack. The main front has the door off-centre, and small 4-pane horned sash windows, 2 on the ground floor, 3 above in the earlier section, the openings having rendered surrounds. At the rear, a central gable, partially covered by the added single storey wing at the S end, which also has a gable stack, its N side altered. The N extension in line has the roof reduced in pitch at the rear. Similar detail to front elevation, and boarded door with overlight and 6-pane sash window. Roof at rear has four rooflights.

Interior

Not accessible at the time of inspection. Said by RCAHM to have the original oak balusters to stairs, pegged tie beams to roof, otherwise the interior is modernised.

Reason for designation

Included as a large C17 farmhouse, retaining the character of a prosperous farm of the period, and for its associations with an important Welsh poet, Robert ap Gwilym-ddu.