Crowlum

Cadw's description

Location

Set down immediately beneath the Clywedog dam, and reached by a short lane leading to the remains of the Bryntail Mines.

History

C18 lobby-entrance house, the outer walls constructed of stone but with timber-framed internal partitions. It was originally 2-unit with an end chimney, but a 3rd unit was added to the L of the lobby-entrance later. An old photograph shows the house in 1893: subsequent alterations, probably of the early C20, included the addition of a porch and dormers and replacement of the small-pane casement windows. Contemporary farm range to downhill end; small late-C20 range to L end at right angles.

Crowlum had an important religious function as it was a Sunday School from the 1770s and is said to have been the earliest one in Wales. Non-conformity became popular in this area as it was not well served by the established church; this Sunday School was probably connected with Methodist preaching circuits.

Exterior

Three-window lobby-entrance house of one-and-a-half storeys, constructed of white-washed random stone under a slate roof with tile cresting, with rendered stone ridge stack to L of centre and rendered end stack to L. A butt joint shows that the L unit was added later. Gabled timber porch with slate roof to L of centre, the sides weather-boarded with 3 pointed arches above, containing a small-pane window to centre and trellis-work. Double panelled half-glazed doors with margin glazing to front; gable with straight and curved timber struts. The windows are plain-glazed wooden casements with transoms and a row of small panes above, 2-light to L of porch and to far R, and 3-light to R of porch. Gabled half-dormers aligned above, with decorative barge boards and diagonal struts, containing the same windows as below. High battered plinth to rear elevation; small 2-light casement window with small panes to L. To the R is a C20 single light, above which is a small 2-light small-pane casement. Skylight towards centre of roof-pitch. Against the W gable end and projecting from the front elevation is a narrow single-storey stone range of the late C20 with wooden boarded doors and casement windows.

Adjoining farm range to E, with lower roof-line. The walls are of white-washed rubble stone below, and renewed weather-boarding above, all under a slate roof. Split doors to centre and R, large double planked doors to L. Planked loft hatch to R of centre, and 2 skylights to roof pitch. The rear is of random stone with a central catslide lean-to containing a small single light. Planked door to R of elevation; skylight to roof pitch. To the E gable is a planked loft hatch.

Interior

The hall is to the R of the lobby-entrance; fireplace with large cambered timber lintel; ceiling with 2 shallow-chamfered spine beams and plain joists. Box-panelled partition opposite fireplace with 2 doorways leading to the inner rooms, themselves divided by a box-panelled partition with wattle infill. The larger room to the front was the parlour, with dairy to rear. C20 timber staircase to R of fireplace reached through a boarded door, probably in general location of original staircase. The outer room, to the L of the lobby-entrance, is slightly later and has one spine beam, possibly replaced, and plain joists to the ceiling. Small fireplace with timber lintel. Boarded doors throughout. Upstairs, box-framed partitions and tie-beam trusses.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good regional C18 farmhouse, with coherent early C20 embellishment, which exhibits the transition to stone construction whist retaining the lobby-entrance plan-form.