Maes-Coch

Location

The house stands down a short private track, on west side of Hay Bluff, 4 km due south of Hay on Wye.

History

The house is of two builds, the upper the earlier and dating from the late C16, the lower early C17 but plain and retaining only a few features. It was built as a hall open to the roof in one bay, with a dais canopy, which survives at first-floor level. A floor was inserted in this during the C17. The inner room to the hall is ceiled with C16 beams. The lower build probably originated as a byre.

Exterior

Stone, corrugated iron roof. Lower build, NW: chamfered doorway, shaped head; 4-light window, chamfered externally, ovolo-moulded internally, 1 mullion lost, inserted on site of doorway. SE, stout doorframe. Upper build, NW: 2 original window openings; SE, window with chamfered head morticed for 4 lights; projecting stair-turret, chimney truncated; NE end, upper windowframe for 5 lights, stone label.

Disused and in poor condition at time of inspection (Autumn 1994).

Interior

Interior (hall build): doorframe by chimney, 1600; hearth, chamfered deep lintel; ceiling beams ovolo & ogee-moulded, 1 supported against chimney on carved C17 bracket, joists with beaded or moulded edges against chimney; remains of wall-painting on chimneybreast, with scalloped border. Upper end ceiling beams deep chamfered, pyramidal stops, present stout joists secondary. Upper floor, central plank & muntin partition, chamfered, to apex of truss, originally serving as dais canopy; lower part of canopy missing, scars in walls; roof 2 bays, 3 tiers purlins largely original.

Reason for designation

Listed, despite its condition, for its special interest as a C16 single-bay hall house, unaltered since C17 and with important surviving internal detail.