Hafod Lodge

Cadw's description

Location

On the W side of Cwmystwyth village on the S side of the B4574.

History

Former school of 1837-9 built for the Duke of Newcastle on the site of a lodge built by Thomas Johnes in 1814. The estate accounts refer to excavation for foundations late in 1837, a letter from the contractor S. Heath 21.11.1837 refers to walls being limewashed and repaired, suggesting that the former lodge was incorporated. Work was going slowly in 1839 but the school opened 4.11.1839. The master's house was situated between a girl's schoolroom 17'6" (5.25m) by 14' (4.2m) and a boys schoolroom 18'6" (5.55m) by 15' (4.5m). Named as School Lodge on 1847 Tithe map. In the 1847 report on the school it is said that some outbuildings for the girls remained to be completed; there were then 31 boys and 19 girls, though it could take some 90 in all. It closed as a school in the 1850s and was in multiple occupancy. It was sold as Old Ysgoldy Lodge in the Hafod sale of 1949.

Exterior

House, former school, rubble stone with slate deep-eaved roof and large painted stucco chimneys. Picturesque Tudor style. Centre gabled two-storey schoolteacher's house faced in painted roughcast, between schoolroom wings. Large painted roughcast left side chimney with moulded base, pedestal with stringcourse under paired large shafts joined by segmental-pointed arch (for bell) and moulded cornice. House front has deep gable verges with wavy bargeboards over first floor square window with triple casement window and ground floor small canted bay, the glazing replaced in uPVC. Rubble right return wall with door set in C20 imitation-stone gabled doorcase with wavy bargeboard. The right wing is two-storey and has massive painted roughcast chimney on ridge in line with dividing wall to house. Base with moulding above, large rectangular shaft and moulded cornice. Windowless first floor front, with long rectangular recessed panel. Two C20 windows below with concrete sills. Rubble right gable end with wavy bargeboard over blank oval with cut-stone voussoirs and first floor triple casement with voussoirs and slate sill. A string-course is visible within attached single storey outbuilding. Outbuilding has added garage door to left.
The left wing is lower, single-storey and set less far back. Two windows with stone voussoirs to right with C20 glazing, gabled dormer with wavy bargeboards over right window. Grey stone projecting porch with Tudor-arched chamfered entry and wavy bargeboards. One C20 window to left. Gable end has wavy bargeboards.
Rear left has raised pier, possibly truncated chimney to right wing, with casement pair each floor to right with stone voussoirs and stone sills. Centre range projects with wavy bargeboard, blank roundel in gable, over casement pair with stone voussoirs and stone sill to first floor and blocked similar window below. Single-storey right wing has two casement pair windows to left with stone voussoirs and stone sills, rendered right part where wall has been rebuilt.

Interior

Interior not available for inspection. Said to be much altered in later C20.

Reason for designation

Included as a substantial early C19 estate school building, and for historical connection with the Hafod estate.