Farm outbuilding at Hengoed

Location

Between Bontuchel and Llanfwrog, about 200m N of bend in minor road. Aligned SW-NE facing farmhouse which is to SE.

History

Originally a mid C15 hall house converted to a farm outbuilding in the later C19.
Tree ring dates from the Welsh Dendrochronology Project gave felling dates of summer 1438, summer 1440 and winter 1446/7. The timber was from massive oaks at least 500 years old at time of felling. The building was adapted as a farm building in the C19, and there is a date scratched in the torching "1867". The cart shed has a scratched date of "1872".

Exterior

Long single-storey building with slate roof. Walling partly stone with some remains of timber framing, but much rebuilding especially to rear in blockwork. From L, 2 doorways, then a tiny window; a further doorway, 2 square windows, another doorway, 2 square windows, and another window. At L end, at right angles, a 2-bay cart shed. Two storeys, stone; slate roof, two cambered brick headed arches each with small window above; at L end, a lean-to former pigsty.

Interior

There are now 7 bays in all. Although almost all of the wall framing has been removed, five cruck trusses remain defining the 4 medieval bays of inner room, 2-bay hall and outer room; there is a later framed truss at the R end; outer bays defined by masonry gables. The central hall truss is heavily arch-braced; some old purlins survive here with wind-bracing, as well as fragments of possibly original framing. Remains of later framed chimney.
The cart shed has stairs to loft within R arch.

Reason for designation

Graded II* notwithstanding loss of original wall framing as one of the earliest dated hall houses of the gentry type (with a 2-bay hall) to survive in Wales.