Dolwen

Cadw's description

Location

Reached by a lane running N from Mathafarn, followed by a track running S from the telephone call-box at Dol-for.

History

Probably C17 in origin, the house is continuous with a cow-house to its R and is possibly a long-house derivative. A further unit was added to the L end probably in the C18-19, after which the roof was raised. The additional unit linked with an earlier timber-framed cow-house to the L. Shown in its current form on the Tithe map of 1840. In poor condition on inspection.

Exterior

Two-storey 3-window house, the L bay added later, constructed of white-washed shaley rubble stone under a slate roof with stone end stacks to L and L of centre. C19 gabled porch to far R, the yellow brick base supporting wooden openwork; archway to front and decorated barge boards to gable. To L of entrance is a 4-pane wooden window under a timber lintel. Upper storey has 3 x 3-light wooden casements with quarry glazing rising to the eaves; all the windows have slate sills. Continuing to R of house, with no butt joint, is a single-storey 3-door cow-house under a slate roof. Planked door to centre, probably to feed-passage, flanked by split doors, all with timber lintels; ventilation slit to far L. The rear of the house has a long single-storey lean-to offset to L, with 2-light wooden casements to its rear wall and L- return. Similar casements to lower storey of main range, to L and R of lean-to. The rear of the adjoining cow-house has a doorway R of centre and one small window towards the L. Doorway to N gable of cow-house which is partly built into the bank.

Attached to the L end of the house is a 5-bay half-timbered multi-purpose farm building under a slate roof. It has a high rubble-stone plinth, the box panelling mainly open now, but with some weather-boarding and corrugated iron sheeting; cart-shed bay to L end partly rebuilt in slate blocks. To the R is a 3-bay cow-house with planked door leading to feed passage. Flanking doorways no longer contain doors and the interior is visible; the outer bays contain wooden stalls at right angles to length of building, facing the feed passage. The roof has tie-beam trusses with curved struts. A stone wall divides this cow-house from the 4th bay to L, also used as a cow-house. It has 2 doorways, for feed and animals, the stalls again transverse. The bay to the L end is a cart-shed, the loft reached by external stone stairs and a doorway to the S gable end. To the rear, the 3-bay cow-house has a doorway to either end, each inset and with a large timber lintel. The 2 bays to the R retain half-timbering and have no openings.

Interior

No access to interior at time of inspection.

Reason for designation

Listed as a little-altered upland linear farmstead with good vernacular character, the well-preserved cowhouses illustrating the timber-framing and stone building traditions of this region.