Farm Building at Pen y Ddol

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the end of a track which runs N from the B4569, approx 1.6km NE of Trefeglwys.

History

Originally a C16 cruck-framed hall-house, which had a 2-bay hall and inner and outer rooms. It is said to have an ornate cruck-truss in the centre of the hall, and there was a dais canopy above the dais partition. It was remodelled in the C17 with the insertion of a lobby-entrance, a timber-framed back-to-back fireplace, and an upper floor. Probably in the C19, the roof was raised; some new brickwork was inserted into part of the lower storey later. A new farmhouse was built nearby c1960-70 and the old house converted to farm use.

Exterior

Two-storey range under a slate roof with truncated brick ridge stack to R of centre. The front and rear walls are mainly clad in corrugated iron sheeting with box-panelling preserved beneath, on a stone plinth, the gable end walls of random stone. The front (E) appears as a house with C19-20 detail, whilst the rear (W) appears as a farm building. The front has a lobby-entrance to R of centre. Corrugated iron sheeting to L of doorway, the lower storey to R rebuilt in red brick, probably c1900, the upper storey to R retaining box-panelling with brick nogging, partly covered in roughcast. Only one window is retained to the lower storey, a 3-light small-pane iron casement in the brick section. To the upper storey are 4 x 3-light wooden casements, probably C20, with a single light between the 1st and 2nd windows from L. The rear elevation has doorways to L and centre, both with boarded doors; the unit to the R is open. The N gable end is of stone with box-panelled gable including diagonal struts to apex; the panels are all open. The S gable end is abutted by a later farm range.

Interior

Three cruck-trusses survive in the house, the outer ones with collars. Inside the C17 lobby entrance is the hall to L with service rooms beyond, and parlour to R. Back-to back fireplaces originally half-timbered, the framing partly visible in the parlour; this fireplace has been infilled with stone and a smaller fireplace. A grain silo has been placed in the parlour necessitating the removal of the upper floor. The hall fireplace has been partly infilled with brickwork and a Victorian stove. The ceiling in the hall has a spine beam with narrow chamfer and plain joists. A C20 partition has been inserted axially to provide a passage along the W side of the house, which now contains a straight timber stair. The original post-and-panel partition between hall and service rooms was replaced in the past by a partition of small-scantling timber posts; there are 2 doorways leading into the former service rooms, which partly cut through the cruck blades. The service rooms are no longer divided and the ceiling is partly missing, allowing a view of wattle-and-daub panelling beneath the cruck truss at 1st floor level. No access to upper floor, but an ornate central hall truss was recorded here.

Reason for designation

Listed as a C16 cruck-framed hall-house, with good evidence for its conversion to the lobby-entry type in the C17. The cruck trusses are well-preserved, notwithstanding the loss of some external and internal detail.