Yr Efail

Cadw's description

Location

Located in the centre of Melinbyrhedyn, on the N side of a minor no-though road leading towards the E.

History

A 3-unit house, possibly C16 originally as the roof retains truncated cruck trusses. It was rebuilt in stone in the C17-18 with the insertion of an upper storey, when it probably had hall and parlour to the outer ends and service rooms to the centre, a distinctive local plan-form. By the time of the Tithe map, 1846, it is shown as 2 cottages, with a living room at each end and service rooms to the centre. The ceilings and upper storey partitions appear to have been replaced in the late C18-early C19. The smithy was in a lower unit adjoining to the L, and may be contemporary with the conversion to 2 cottages. The building is now one dwelling.

Exterior

An asymmetrical 2-storey 3-window house constructed of lime-washed random stone under a slate roof with stone end stack to L; a former stack to R end is now missing. The front has a boarded door under a slate-hung lintel to L of centre. Windows to L and R, with a 3rd window to far R. These are 2-light wooden casements, mainly with small-pane glazing, those to lower storey with slate-hung lintels (some slates missing), the upper storey windows aligned and immediately under the eaves. To the rear is a boarded door to L of centre, formerly the entrance to the 2nd cottage. On its R side is a 4-pane wooden window with timber lintel. Towards the centre is a small 2-light wooden casement lighting the service room. Former single-storey smithy to L end. Its front has split doors to R and a window opening to L; small opening to gable; rear doorway.

Interior

The front entrance leads into the L-hand unit, formerly the living room of the L cottage. Large stone fireplace with cambered timber lintel, on the L side of which are winding timber stairs. The ceiling has a shallow-chamfered spine beam and plain joists, and appears later than the fireplace. To the R is the partition to the service rooms, with panels of woven oak laths and 2 planked doors. The service rooms were divided axially, the sockets still extant. The living room of the former R-hand cottage has a stone fireplace with long narrow timber lintel and a bakeoven in the R-hand reveal; winding timber staircase on its L side. A planked door led into the rear service room. Ceiling as elsewhere with shallow-chamfered spine beam.

The upper storey was reached from the L-hand staircase. The roof originally had cruck trusses, but these were replaced by tie-beam trusses when the house was raised. The cruck blades are still extant above the tie-beams and retain sockets for the original purlins. New rafters and purlins were added to the outer sides of these blades. The partitions beneath the trusses are mainly of small-scantling timber-framing and appear to be later.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good regional house in a village setting with an interesting developmental history, from its probable origins as a cruck-framed building, to its division into 2 cottages and addition of a smithy.