Crafnant

Cadw's description

Location

Slightly set back from the W side of the country road which leads up the Afon Artro Valley.

History

A late C16 or early C17 farmhouse of locally characteristic storeyed end-chimney cross-passage type. Although exterior detail has been altered, the house retains much of its original layout. To the NE of the main range, a second domestic range is probably a 'tyddyn traean' or widow's house, and may be the 'Ty newydd Crafnant' referred to in a marriage settlement of 1787. This second range is now linked to the main farmhouse by a later (perhaps C19?) block, once housing dairy with granary over.

Recorded in the tithe apportionment of the parish, 1941, as being an extensive farmstead of over 500 acres (202.5 hectares), owned and occupied by John ap Rhydderch Owen, esq.

Exterior

The main range is down-hill sited and aligned roughly NW-SE. Rendered over stone, with slate roof, retaining destinctively tall rubble stone stacks with dripstones and capping delineating the extent of the original house. Two storeyed, 2-unit plan with doorway offset to R of centre, in gabled porch (a pointed doorhead was noted by RCAHMW in 1986). Windows all modern, those to first floor beneath dormer gables. To the rear there is a later single bay extension, roofed by a continuation of the main slope. An additional bay attached to the upper gable end of the house originally housed dairy and granary: it has loft entry to first floor, and small windows which are not aligned. It extends as a wing at the rear of the house to link it with the 'tyddyn traean'. This wing is of exposed rubble stone with slate roof. Doorway with single window over, beneath the eaves.

Interior

Not inspected on resurvey, but has previously been recorded by RCAHMW, most recently in 1986. The main house then retained its cross passage plan (though with staircase inserted towards rear of passage blocking rear door), with hall at upper end and a probably heated parlour at the lower end, converted from two small service rooms. The surviving hall partition was of C18 raised fielded panelling, though a section of original post and panel partition survived beneath the stairs. The original stone stairs had been along side the hall fireplace, but these had been removed, perhaps to provide direct access to the dairy and granary.

Reason for designation

Listed notwithstanding alteration to detail as a fine example of a C17 regional house, with slightly later 'tyddyn traean'. The house forms an exceptionally good group with its associated agricultural buildings, an unusually complete example of a farmstead group.