Cwm-yr-afon Farmhouse with attached farm-ranges to rear

Cadw's description

Location

In an elevated position, in the Artro valley, SE of the road to Cwm Bychan, and approached via a track which crosses the river at Pont Cwm yr Afon, some 3 mils from Llanbedr.

History

A storeyed, end chimney and through-passage house of characteristic sub-medieval regional type, and probably C17, though with later façade detail which may be contemporary with the bay to the R, which was added perhaps in the early C19, and used as boiler house-kitchen with granary above. A wing to the rear is also probably a later addition. This rear wing links the house with the farm-range to the rear: a probably C18 barn and stable, to which a single storeyed cow-house was later attached. Recorded in the Tithe apportionment of the parish as an extensive farmstead of over 800 acres (324 hectares), owned and occupied by the then High Sheriff of Merionethshire, Griffith Evans Wynne.

Exterior

The house is aligned NE-SW, and built into slightly rising ground so that the farm-buildings, which lie to its rear, are at a higher level.

The house is rubble stone, limewashed to the front elevation; graded slate roofs (replaced with modern slate to rear) with chimneys on the original gable ends, and the gable end of the added bay. Main chimney at L hand gable is considerably bigger. Two-storeyed, 3-window range originally, with an additional bay added to the R. Original range has central doorway (plank door with small overlight) flanked y 12-pane sash windows, with similar windows to first floor (not aligned). R hand bay has doorway to L, and a similar window on each floor. Wing to rear of left-hand bay has similar sash windows to first floor, and paired 4-pane sashes to ground floor of NE elevation; built into rising ground to SW, with lean-to addition in angle with main range. Rear of extension has gabled porch to loft, with arched door giving direct access to granary, to R.

The farm buildings form a courtyard at the rear of the house, and at a higher level. The yard is closed by a wall linking gable end of domestic range with the cow-house which is parallel to the house. The rear wing of the house is attached to the stable and barn. These are of rounded rubble with coped gables to random slate roofs. Big barn door (with aligned doorway onto field at rear), with 2 tiers of ventilation slits to its L. Stable in L hand bay has doorway to R, and window on each floor beyond. Rough stone lintels to all openings. Rear elevation of barn has tiered ventilation slits each side of doorway, and loft over stable is accessed up steps to doorway in gabled dormer. In the yard, at R-angles to the barn, the later cowhouse has a single window to the L, at R-angles to the barn, the later cowhouse has a single window to the left, and original doorway towards centre. R hand bay has been altered, and has modern infill to R of another doorway.

Interior

Not fully inspected, but conforming to regional conventions of planning, with cross-passage separating main hall-kitchen from smaller parlour and service rooms; this example said to retain chimney stair.

Reason for designation

Listed as an intact farmstead group, comprising farmhouse which retains traditional character as a good smaller regional house, and farm-buildings which form a distinctive planned group with the house.