Bodeilio

Cadw's description

Location

In an isolated rural location, set back from the SE side of the B5109 NE of Talwrn and c1.25km SW of the Church of St Dyfnan.

History

Early C17 house, built in 1602. Service wing added to rear, and agricultural buildings were built abutting each end of the house, probably early C19. By the time of the Tithe apportionments of 1841, the house formed part of the estate of the Right Honorable Lord Vivian along with the neighbouring gentry house at Marian. Bodeilio itself was an extensive farm of over 300 acres (121.5 hectares), occupied by Evan Rice Thomas and his family, along with 5 servants and 4 labourers. The house was restored and altered in the mid-late C20; the roof has been re-slated and the windows replaced. The former cowhouse now forms part of the residence, the doorways have been partially infilled and windows inserted and the interior of both modernised. Former lofted stables, cartshed and threshing barn built at NE end converted for use as commercial premises, profiled roof added and openings now with modern windows and doors.

Exterior

Early C17 gentry house. The principal elevation faces a walled garden to the SW, a 2-storey, 3-window range including storeyed porch offset to right; single storey service wing to rear (former dairy). Built of limestone and grit rubble masonry with large quoins. Slate roof with stone coping; gable stacks with capping, tall rendered stack to porch gable has hollow chamfered capping. The porch entrance is an arched doorway which has double roll-moulded jambs and broach stops; the first floor window has a moulded label above which is an inscribed stone which bears the dates 1602 and 1618 and the initials I. O. Windows in flanking bays are modern replacement casements.

Interior

The ground plan has been lost owing to the insertion of a later partition, though the staircase occupies its original position; probably consisted of passage with staircase at one end and a room on either side. Cased beams, mortices under the main beam of the kitchen near the N end suggest that this end was shut off as a larder. Massive chamfered bressumers to large inglenook fireplaces in kitchen and sitting room. First floor retains original plan with central hallway and room either side; another over porch (formerly with fireplace in SE corner). Original panels of passage remains; rooms subdivided in C19. Staircase window at half landing, wide-boarded doors, and doors with 6 sunk panels.

Reason for designation

Listed as an early C17 gentry house, of particular historic interest as an early example of an end chimney type. Bodeilio is one of several houses on the island which have a storeyed porch with gable stack (and here datestone), representative of a style favoured by the gentry in the early C17. Some original detail remains internally.