Hen Dyffryn Gwyn

Cadw's description

Location

Set back on the S side of the minor road through Cwm Maethlon, approximately 5.1km SE of Tywyn.

History

Dated 1640. In its original form the house appears to have had a 3-unit plan. It was altered in the late C18, perhaps in 1772, the date of inscription on the exterior, when the central stair was inserted. The brewhouse, originally detached, was added in the C19, and was joined to the house by a link in the C20. Minor alterations, mainly to the interior, were undertaken in 1965.

Exterior

A 1½-storey 3-window house of rubble stone in large roughly dressed blocks and with bigger quoins and boulder footings, under a steep slate roof (replacing original thatch) on a moulded stone eaves cornice and behind coped gable to the L. Of the stone end stacks, the L-hand is original. The entrance is R of centre. It has a round head with thin voussoirs, to double boarded doors. Lower-storey windows have drip moulds. To the L of the entrance is a 3-light mullioned window, above which is inscribed 'HP 1640'. The other windows are replacements in finely moulded surrounds, a 6-pane sash window to the L and 12-pane sash window to the R. Three hipped half dormers have 4-pane horned sashes, and incorporate re-used mouldings in their jambs.

In the L gable end is a shallow rectangular bake-oven projection and prominent boulder footings. An attic window to the R is in a stone surround with moulded lintel, probably re-used, and an inserted attic window is to the L. One of the quoins on the L side is inscribed 'Rice Hughes hoc fecit anno domini 1772'. On the R side the verge bears another inscription 'EE mason 1893'. Continuous with the L gable end is a 1-storey projection behind the house, with flat roof, to a 2-storey former outbuilding, probably originally a brewhouse and farm labourers' accommodation, of rubble stone and slate roof, with 2-pane sash windows in each storey.

The rear of the main range has 2 hipped half dormers with 4-pane sash windows, and an inserted window below the eaves in the centre lighting the stair inserted in the C18. In the lower storey are 2 original window openings with corbelled drip moulds. The R-hand is a 2-light mullioned window and the L-hand has been replaced by a narrower 16-pane sash window.

Interior

The entrance opens into a stair hall, with straight stair. To the R and L are timber-framed partitions with reed-moulded studs, and similar detail to the inner sides of the door surrounds. Both screens appear to be original, although the screen on the L side has been partly removed and incorporates re-used materials. On the R side is an C18 fielded-panel door to the parlour and on the L is a replacement door to the kitchen. The kitchen has a central cross beam with ogee stops, and reed-moulded joists. Its fireplace has a stop-chamfered timber lintel on coursed stone jambs. The R-hand jamb has a shallow niche cut into it. To the R of the fireplace is the original stone fireplace stair. In the parlour the fireplace is infilled, but in the rear wall is a window seat with fielded-panel back. Mullioned windows have ovolo internal mouldings.

In the upper storey the room over the kitchen has an ogee door head and a post-and-panel partition with reed-moulded posts. The room has an infilled fireplace, but its corbels and timber bressumer remain visible. Some other first-floor partitions incorporate ovolo-mouldings and are possibly C18. The roof has 2 collar-beam trusses.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as an especially well-preserved C17 house retaining strong external character and original detail, and original interior plan form and detail with significant C18 modification.