Y Dderw

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the head of the driveway off the main Llyswen to Hay road, on level ground in the floodplain of the River Wye.

Exterior

History: The house was purchased by William Morgan of Ystradfellte, a barrister, d1584, who married Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir William Morgan of Tredegar. His granddaughter married William Morgan of Machen, c.1650 whence it became part of the extensive lands of the Morgans of Tredegar. It was tenanted in the C17 to the Williams family, and in the C19, it was the home farm for Boughrood Castle (Hon. Frederick Morgan)

Exterior: Gentry house of the second half of the C16, extended in the mid C17. Roughcast and painted over stone. Stone slate roofs. Two storeys and attic. Central hall with cross passage behind screen at the NE end, having a lateral fireplace, a heated parlour with lateral stack in a cross wing at the SW end and a service wing at the NE end. This classic plan was amplified in the mid C17 by extending both wings to the rear, the parlour wing having a further reception room and stair, a further room added behind the original services, and the wing extended further NE to provide further service accommodation. Later plan alterations have retained the original form, being confined to a linking corridor between the rear wings, and an open pentice around the re-entrant angle formed by the service wing additions, and continued along two C19 heated bays added in line.

The main S front has tall late C18 or early C19 bracketed doorcase to the cross passage. All windows replaced at similar date with chamfered stone frames with stone mullions and label mouldings over, with 9-pane sashes. The hall range gabled at the same period to provide Venetian tripartite 9-pane sash to the attic chambers the centre sash having 'gothic' intersecting glazing bars. Parlour wing is gabled, with 4 x 3 pane sashes to ground and first floor and 9-pane sashes to attic. Windows generally retain crown glass. Service range has tripartite 4-pane sashes and paned casement windows to attic gable, also repeated on the extended bay. Bargeboards. Three diagonally set moulded chimney shafts on the E gable, balancing the stack at the SW parlour end. Central boarded door to link corridor behind hall and various C19 windows. Rear added bay of the parlour wing has a gable stack and 4-light chamfered frame windows to the first floor, 2-light to ground floor and attic level. The SW elevation has windows on 2 storeys of the same pattern as the main front.

Interior: The main stair is dog-legged, of oak, with a very fine symmetrically turned balustrade and a heavy rail. The main hall has a lateral fireplace with a high set timber lintel and canted sides. Plastered ceiling, with finger moulded margins divided by deep chamfered ceiling beams. Moulded arch to door from corridor to stair. The main parlour has a stone fireplace with tudor shaped arch and wave-moulded surround ending in a pineapple-fleur-de-lys carved stop. Spiral stair in service end, screened off and accessed from the cross passage, has monoxylous steps, and a shaped doorframe at the bottom. C17 panelling refixed in rear corridor. Roof said to be original, not seen at time of inspection. (May 1995)

Included at Grade II* on account of retaining an important sub-medieval plan and well preserved structure, with some fine internal detail and good fenestration throughout.
Reference: Jones, S and Smith J. 'Houses of Breconshire' Brycheiniog X (1964) 86-7 and plan fig 9.
'Houses of the Welsh Countryside', fig 99.