Vicarage Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 0.8km W of and reached by track leading W from the parish church.

History

Originally a cruck-framed house and probably built in the C17. It is mentioned in a terrier of 1720. A small amount of clom walling from this period survives in the rear. The house was rebuilt in stone, probably in 1762 (date on building). In 1804 the traveller Richard Fenton visited the house, which he described as ''''''''snug and neat'''''''' and ate veal cutlet and Tenby pickled oysters. The house was further extended, under a separate roof, in the mid C19, and additions were made at the rear. All of these additions are shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey. In the late C19 it was improved by altering the interior plan to make 3 rooms and a stair hall in the lower storey of the main range. It ceased to be a vicarage soon after when a new house was built nearer the centre of Llanfihangel Ar Arth village. The gable end was rebuilt in the 1980s.

Exterior

A 2-storey 3-window house of rubble stone, partly rendered, with a thatch roof concealed by corrugated iron sheets, and stone stack to the R end. It has a higher single-window addition in line to the L end under a slate roof with stone end stacks. On the L side of the front is inscribed ''''''''DH 1762'''''''' in the render. The main house has a boarded door R of centre, with fixed small-pane window to its L. The outer sides have C20 2-light windows. Similar 2-light casement windows are in the upper storey beneath the eaves. On the L side the C19 addition has brick segmental heads to a boarded door to the R and C20 2-light casements in each storey. The R gable end of the original house has been rebuilt and has inserted windows on the L side in each storey. At the rear is a late C19 gablet L of centre with a single casement, lighting the stair. The main house has a lean-to in 2 phases, and a single casement window lower R. A lean-to has also been added to the added R-hand end.

Interior

The principal interior feature are 3 pairs of equally placed scarfed crucks, largely concealed by the later stone walls. The central cruck also retains, in the upper storey and adjacent to the C19 stair, part of a post-and-panel partition. The kitchen on the R side in the lower storey retains a C19 slate floor, but its fireplace was removed when the gable end was rebuilt. It has a re-used cross beam and another narrower cross beam with run-out stops.

Reason for designation

Listed as a substantial C17 house retaining good original interior detail and retaining overall vernacular character, including a rare surviving thatch roof.