Farmhouse with attached Cruck Barn at Peniarth-uchaf

Cadw's description

Location

In the farmyard of Peniarth-uchaf, reached by a minor road and a farm lane about 1 km west of the village of Penybontfawr.

History

The earliest part is a substantial barn of the C15 or C16, standing on the uphill side of Peniarth-uchaf farmyard. The location of the farmhouse which was its contemporary is unclear. The barn was probably reduced by at least one bay for the addition of the present farmhouse; part may be incorporated within the rear of the present house. The house itself is probably of two periods, the rear perhaps C17, the front range being an C18 addition for which the ground been built up and protected by a retaining wall.

In 1839 Peniarth Uchaf (homestead, fold, garden and stackyard) was recorded as a farm in the estate of Hugh Davies Griffiths esq., tenanted by Evan Evans with about 77 acres (31.19 hectares).

Exterior

A modestly designed farmhouse built onto the east end of a very substantial cruck-framed barn of which four bays survive. The farmhouse stands forward, the barn adjoining its rear wing.

The farmhouse is of two storeys and two windows, in informally coursed stone, with slate roof and with end chimneys; central boarded door (large lintel above with stone face), small windows each side (upvc) in original openings; small through-eaves dormer windows aligned above. Upper small window and rooflight to rear. To the west side of the rear elevation is a large wing with gables facing north and east, the latter with a small window, and a modern single-storey lean-to rendered and slate-roofed annexe in the north-east corner.

The barn has stone gable walls; the front wall is clad in vertical timber boarding, the rear in corrugated steel sheeting. Slate roof. To the east of the east gable wall of the barn is a further, rebuilt, bay of the same height and depth as the barn and the same height as the rear wing of the house, with rendered walls, slate roof, modern door, small window and two rooflights to front, one rooflight to rear.

Interior

In the house, entered by the south door, there are adze-wrought boarded doors to the main rooms at left and right. Two beams in kitchen at rear with quadrant mouldings. In the bay to the rear of the rear extension are stubs of the barn purlins suggesting that this bay was originally part of the barn.

The barn is separately entered from the farmyard to its south. Three fine cruck couples of large scantling: that furthest from the house has butted blades and a collar beam; the middle couple has butted blades, and two collars linked by a central post; the couple nearest to the house has two collars and a lap-jointed tie with panel framing and marks of former infill. Two purlins each side.

Reason for designation

A farmhouse which notwithstanding some minor modernisation has retained its vernacular character, with an attached well-preserved late mediaeval barn of cruck construction.