Cwm Chwefru Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Set down in the valley bottom on the SW side of the River Chwefru and a narrow lane which runs N from the B4358. Converted former farmyard ranges to the SE.

History

Sub-medieval farmhouse said to date from 1643, with a fireplace lintel dated 1688. The house has a centralised plan-form which may date from the early C18, with hall to L and parlour to R. However, it was originally a long-house with a door at the downhill (parlour) end leading into a byre. A doorway at the upper end of the hall, now leading to a staircase, may have been an earlier end-entrance. A projecting stone on the W gable end indicates that the sub-medieval house was probably thatched. A dairy wing was added to the rear of the hall in the late C18, with a more recent addition to its upper end.

Exterior

House of one-and-a-half storeys, constructed of rubble stone under a slate roof with eyebrows over upper windows and rubble stone end stacks. Entrance to S and offset to the R. Recessed door with ribs in ovolo-moulded timber surround, under a long timber lintel. Stained glass window dated 1878 to L of entrance, possibly in an original opening, with splayed reveals. Late C20 3-light wooden window to its L, and similar single light window to R of door, both with timber lintels. Two similar 3-light windows to upper storey, between which is a small light under the eaves. Large flat-roofed dormer to centre with 4-light window. A small single-storey range added to the W gable end has a planked door to the front and a skylight above. Small C20 window to gable end offset to L.

To the N side, the windows are as front to the L and centre, 2-light to the lower storey and 3-light above. Three skylights to roof pitch. To the R is the single-storey dairy range at right angles. It has a 3-light window to the gable end, a single light to the E and stable doors to the W. The small added range to the W has a planked door to the L, the wall advanced to the R.

Interior

The house has a central-entrance arrangement with hall to L and parlour to R. Large fireplace to upper end of hall with chamfered timber lintel inscribed 1688. Inside the fireplace is a bakeoven to the R and a salt niche to the L. To the R of the fireplace is a timber doorway with triangular head leading to fireplace stairs with high deep treads, and also to an external doorway (now leading into a later range). The current staircase is C20, replacing a C19 staircase in the same position, adjacent to the front wall and partly obscuring the stained glass window which was brought from another house. To the E side of the hall is a post and panel screens partition with triangular headed doorway to the L, now infilled, inscribed 'Deum Time'. The screen is cut back at the R end removing the other doorway. The hall has a central cross-beam with cut stops, with a slot at the S end which probably held a partition. The parlour has a small fireplace with chamfered timber lintel and a cross-beam. The dairy wing to the N is now the kitchen. The attic is said to be 3-bay, with original tie and collar beam trusses, and to contain a flat ogee-headed doorway.

Reason for designation

Listed as a sub-medieval farmhouse retaining its plan-form and for the fine interior detail.