Porth

Cadw's description

Location

At the lower end of the street, nearly opposite the former gaol.

History

Medieval building associated with the Castle Mill. The early range has a C15 solar with open roof. To the rear (in the same range as Mill Cottage), is a medieval arched doorway, probably connected with storage rooms. Said to have been converted for domestic use in 1586, when it was occupied by the miller, Peter Moyle. The building was extensively altered in the mid-late C19, when a shallow gabled wing was added to the N, with a shop frontage onto the street. Most external detail renewed then and later. Now a tea-room and café.

Exterior

Original range is parallel to the street (and at right-angles to Mill Street). Its broad gabled front now forms the centre of a near-symmetrical elevation, and is flanked to the right by the late C19 addition, and to the left by a single window range contained in an extension of the main roof-line over a small outshut alongside the rear wall stack. This original building continues to rear of No 67. Roughcast render throughout, with slate roofs. Lateral stack on rear wall, gable end stack on street-facing gable of C19 wing. Main elevation faces east: Doorway to right of central gable, in gabled porch, flanked by windows renewed in C19 openings with smooth rendered surrounds. To rear, the projection alongside the rear-wall stack incorporates a section of timber balustrading with turned balusters - perhaps a relic of a staircase. Doorway and lean-to to left of stack, with modern window above. Short wing beyond adjoins N end of Mill Cottage. Elevation to Clwyd Street is the gabled front of the C19 wing: this has former shop-front offset to right, with bloced doorway and wide window under a continuous fascia, with pilasters at either side. 2 renewed windows in upper storey.

Interior

Café inside main entrance within original range. The ceiling is without joists, the wide floor boards supported on plain beams, probably re-used. Modern staircase to rear, leading to upper storey of original range, , which has a C15 solar: there are 2 cruck blades, to SW and NE angles, relating to 2 cruck trusses. There are said to be cusped windbraces above the ceiling. The roof was ceiled at collar level (probably c1600), with central deep-chamfered spine-beam with ornate hollow moulded stops, and plaster ceiling cornice. Small open truss between cruck-trusses, with bases of rafters visible to N and S walls. The original external N wall is visible inside the Victorian addition, close-studded and containing a timber-mullioned 3-light window. Good wood panelling around the walls, probably C17-18. The bathroom to S may be in the position of the original staircase, as the panelling is said to go down to the ground floor; this is adjacent to the external timber balustrading. To the L and rear of the café is a room in the same range as Mill Cottage to the S. Inside and orientated E-W is a timber entrance arch thought to be connected with the medieval mill. It consists of a narrow pointed chamfered arch, L of which is part of a wider arch, possibly for a cart. At right-angles to the R is a panel of wattle and daub. To the S, the partition with Mill Cottage is box-framed with some brick nogging, the upper storey retaining part of a cruck blade.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* as an exceptional medieval cruck-framed building, retaining fine features from the C15 and C16 (and notwithstanding external alteration).