Penbanc

Cadw's description

Location

On the south side of the B4329 approximately 1.2km SW of Crosswell, set within its own enclosure to the west of a private drive to Maes Y Bryn.

History

Probably constructed mid C19 as a small rural workers' dwelling replacing an earlier cottage depicted on the 1840 Tithe Map. This earlier cottage is shown within its own small enclosure and described in the tithe Apportionment as an 'Encroachment' and owned by a John Griffith. This earlier cottage was probably built as a roadside encroachment onto marginal land of unknown ownership.

The later cottage is shown on the 1st edition OS map and was probably constructed as a more permanent structure once the encroachment had become accepted, signifying a more permanent dwelling and investment. It was altered internally in the later C19 with the insertion of planked partitioning to divide the interior and support a fully boarded loft. This could have replaced an earlier smaller loft. The quarry tile floor and cast iron range also probably date to this period of refitting. The cowhouse to the side may be a later addition and at some point a rubble shed was constructed to the front of the cottage and its immediate garden were enclosed by earth and stone banks and gateways.

Exterior

Cottage with attached cowhouse. Cottage is single storey of colourwashed rubble stone with larger quoin stones. Corrugated tin roof over thatch with slate lower courses. Large gable stack to right with weathering course and projecting capping course. Central boarded door with 6-pane casements to either side, further small blocked fire-window to right. Projecting outshut to rear with small window to gable. In-line cowhouse to left of plain rubble stone set back slightly with 2 doors to front. Roof and rear wall of the cowhouse partly collapsed at time of inspection.

Interior

Central entrance leading to passage with full planked partitioning to left with door through to former parlour with plain fireplace. Partial screen to right, then main room with large fireplace with later cast iron range and blocked four light window to front wall. Colourwashed walls and quarry tile floor. Boarded loft over, partly dismantled at time of inspection but previously extending across entire width of cottage. 3 pairs of rough A-frame trusses of slender rounded timbers with pegged joints and rough purlins supporting thatch roof cover of thrust straw over an underthatch, probably originally gorse laid over a layer of straw rope tied to the purlins.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a rare surviving example of a rural single storey cottage retaining good vernacular character. Also significant for its historic importance as a good example of an encroachment cottage illustrating the development of rural dwellings onto marginal lands.