Old house at Gelli Cadwgan Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 1.8km ENE of Builth Wells, set back from the A481 just W of its junction with the B4567.

History

A late medieval cruck-framed hall house. It was converted to a storeyed house with lobby entrance in the C17. In the C19 it was extended by a single unit on the L side. In the mid C20 the thatched roof was removed. An attached cow house was demolished and replaced by a modern structure c1972. The house has been uninhabited since the last quarter of the C20.

Exterior

A 1½-storey house of painted rubble stone and steep corrugated asbestos-cement roof, with roughcast stack to the L of centre. The lobby entrance has a boarded door, to the R of which are 2 enlarged 2-light windows. A mid C20 2-light raked roof dormer is R of centre. To the L of the entrance is the C19 extension of the house, which has a 2-light early C20 casement window under a wooden lintel. The L gable end has a small attic casement. The rear has windows corresponding with the front elevation, including a raked roof dormer. A lower, late C20 cow shed is attached to the R gable end, above which the gable end of the house is clad in corrugated-asbestos sheets.

Interior

The house retains a C17 plan. The hall to the R of the entrance has 2 cross beams with ogee stops. The fireplace is infilled, to the R of which is a wooden fireplace stair. Two small inner rooms are also spanned by a cross beam with ogee stops. A cruck truss is visible between the hall and inner rooms but is not exposed in the attic. In the attic the end cruck truss, abutting the cow house, is exposed and retains its original framing.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a sub-medieval regional house retaining early character and plan form, and retaining substantial fragments of an earlier medieval house.