Cefnllyfnog Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Reached by a farm track from a minor road, about 2 km north-east of Bwlch-y-cibau.

History

A mediaeval hall house later converted to storeyed form, given a large chimney and a 2½ storey early-C17 cross wing probably taking the place of the outer room (bedroom/parlour) of the earlier hall, the change typifying a Renaissance trend to increasing privacy in domestic planning. The shaping of the rear corner posts of the crosswing indicates there was originally a rear jettied gable end to the crosswing as well as a front jettied gable end.

Exterior

A timber-framed house consisting of a main range lying north/south and a crosswing at the south end. The main range retains timber framing on the east side, the northernmost bay two panels high, the remainder of the timber framing of the main range partly replaced in stone or brickwork. At the west side there is a deep wallplate but the wall below has been rebuilt (with two walled up door positions). Main door with hood at east side opposite the main chimney; timber replacement windows each side with glazing bars; one cast-iron small-pane window on the west side.

The crosswing retains timber framing to the front (east) and side (south); its rear is in stone heightened in red brickwork, with brick quoins. Steep slate roofs, pair of ribbed chimneys to the main range in red brickwork. Small modern lower-pitched extension to the main range to north. The timber framing to the crosswing front gable is particularly fine, with a slight jetty at first floor and at base of gable; close-studding in ground storey with mid height timber; herringbone decorative bracing in first storey, with baluster struts beneath the window; cusped quadrant bracing in the gable, the latter in small panelling four panels high. At left side (south) the ground and first storeys are both in close studding two panels high.

At the (east) front of the crosswing is a 12-pane hornless sash window at ground storey and small timber windows with glazing bars, respecting the openings of the timber framing, above. At the side of the crosswing to south there is a 12-pane hornless sash window partially filling an original window opening, and three smaller timber windows with glazing bars.

Interior

Hall house converted to lobby-entrance plan type. Interior not inspected in 2003, but reported to have important features in the hall range: mid truss with arch bracing and cusped struts; post and panel canopied dais partition. Roasting spit at main hearth dated 'Richard Hughes esq., 1771'.

Reason for designation

An important house for the history of the advance of domestic standards through the sub-mediaeval period, the earlier main range retaining substantial features of its mediaeval hall-house origins, and a superb C17 crosswing in the best carpentry tradition of the north-west border region.