Mathafarn

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the end of a straight driveway off the B4404, 1km W of its junction with the A489.

History

Mathafarn has been a seat of some importance since medieval times. The future King Henry VII is said to have stayed with the squire of Mathafarn, the poet Dafydd Llwyd, on his way to the battle of Bosworth.

A house was built on this site for Rowland Pugh in 1628, but was burnt down by Cromwell's men in 1644: the datestone has been reset into the rear of the current house. It was rebuilt in the later C17, but there is now no evidence for this phase of construction. The current house is of c1800.

Exterior

Symmetrical 3-storey 3-window house of rubble stone, the front elevation obscured by vegetation, under a shallow hipped graded slate roof. Full-height gabled rear wing with continuous outshut to E side. Two brick stacks to rear of main range, yellow to L and red to R; red brick end stack to wing. Central porch of rock-faced stone, probably C20, with flat moulded stone roof, inside which is a C20 panelled door with small light, and a plain overlight. Segmental yellow brick heads to window openings at ground and 1st floor level, those to 2nd floor rising to the eves; slate sills. The windows are 3-light small-pane wooden casements, except those to centre which are 2-light.

E side of main range has a 16-pane hornless sash window with timber lintel to the R of the 1st floor. The W side is slate-hung and has no openings; small single-storey lean-to, also slate hung, with 3-light C20 window. Against the rear wall, in the angle with the wing, is a lean-to porch with C20 door to N and C20 window to W.

The rear wing is slate-hung to the W side, and has a 4-light window to the L of the porch. Three-light C20 window to 1st floor with small light to its R; 3-light small-pane wooden casement to L of 2nd floor. Outshut on E side is 2-storey; C20 2-light window to ground floor under a segmental brick head; 3-light wooden casement above, rising to eaves. The gable end of the wing has no openings, but a datestone has been moved to the apex, just beneath the stack. It reads 1628 / RP / M in relief and has a moulded surround. In front is a small single-storey gabled range of rubble stone offset to the L side, with planked door to L and 2-light wooden window to R, both with timber lintels. To the R of this range are 2 small lean-tos, of brick and blockwork.

Interior

Central stair-hall with reception rooms flanking to L and R, and service rooms to rear. Dog-leg wooden staircase to R side of stair-hall with narrow square-section balusters, square newel posts and moulded handrail. Living room to L has a spine beam to ceiling with shallow chamfer, and a large stone fireplace with cambered timber lintel, possibly reset from the earlier house. Reception room to R has plastered spine beam and smaller classical-style fireplace to rear.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good late Georgian country house, and for its additional historical association with the Civil War. Group value with adjacent service building and gate piers.