Cwm Biga

Cadw's description

Location

Located on the N side of a narrow lane which runs SW from Staylittle into the Hafren Forest. The farm is approx 4.5km from Staylittle and 1.5km W of Llyn Clywedog.

History

An upland late C18 farmhouse, replacing an earlier house at Cwm Biga which may have been cruck-framed; re-used blade fragments were found in the barn. The farm was a sheep grange belonging to the monks of Abbey Cwm Hir from the late C12 until the dissolution of the monasteries, which specialised in mutton and wool production. It was recorded as such in 1315. In 1698 it was sold to the University of Oxford becoming part of their income-bearing estates. The house in its current form is shown on the Tithe map of 1848. Some alterations were undertaken to the interior and exterior of the house in the mid-late C19. In 1906 it was purchased by Maurice Jones, and was then bought by the Forestry Commission in the 1930s.

There is a complete group of farm buildings at Cwm Biga, and from1974 when the farm was purchased by Iuean Rees, they have been on display to exhibit traditional farming practices here and at similar hill farms. The slate roofs of these buildings were renewed in 1994.

Exterior

Two-unit 2-storey farmhouse with double-pile plan-form, constructed of white-washed random stone under a slate roof with slate-hung end stacks, that to L of stone, that to R of brick. Front entrance facing S, offset to L of centre. Gabled stone porch, later C19, with brick quoins, slate roof and plain barge boards. It has a plain wooden door to R-return and small 4-pane window to front, both with segmental brick heads and brick reveals. To the R is a 12-pane horned sash window with cambered brick head and reveals; 2-light small-pane wooden casement to L with segmental brick head. Similar casement aligned above, under the eaves and with brick reveals. To the R, is a 3-light wooden casement and to the far R, a small C20 top-hung window, also with brick reveals. Adjoining the W gable end is a stone lean-to containing a bake-house to front and wash-room to rear, the side wall partly rebuilt in breeze blocks and partly slate-hung. The bakehouse has a boarded door to front. No openings to E gable end. To the rear, the house has a doorway to L of centre under a segmental brick head containing split doors. This replaces an earlier doorway to the far L which was blocked with a window, now a late C20 top-hung light. Flanking the current doorway is a small 2-light wooden casement under a flat head to L, and a renewed 2-light small-pane wooden casement under a segmental brick head to R. Two similar casements to upper storey immediately under the eaves. Wash-house in W lean-to has a boarded door under a segmental brick head.

Interior

Direct entry into front kitchen which has a spine beam with narrow chamfer and plain joists. To E wall is a large fireplace, mainly brick-lined with a plain timber lintel. Boarded door on its R to winding timber stair. Further boarded doors, to L into parlour and straight ahead to service rooms. The parlour has a Victorian cast iron fireplace with tile inserts; the ceiling is obscured but is said to retain its joists; it has recently been divided by a partition, that to S side now used as a bathroom. To rear of house, 2 narrow rooms, the back kitchen to E and dairy to W. These also have ceilings with plain joists and the back kitchen has a trap door for coffins. The 1st floor has 4 bedrooms, the ceilings canted and plastered; fireplaces to end walls, now covered over.

In the lean-to, the wash-house has a pitched floor and a large wash tub to the rear. Bake-house also has oven to rear, both flues leading into the L end stack.

Reason for designation

Listed as an upland farmhouse of c1800 retaining its plan-form and character, and for group value with the surrounding farm buildings.