History in Structure

Pwlliwrch

A Grade II* Listed Building in Glantwymyn, Powys

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.5953 / 52°35'43"N

Longitude: -3.7188 / 3°43'7"W

OS Eastings: 283670

OS Northings: 301114

OS Grid: SH836011

Mapcode National: GBR 97.9K25

Mapcode Global: WH68N.V195

Plus Code: 9C4RH7WJ+4F

Entry Name: Pwlliwrch

Listing Date: 2 April 1970

Last Amended: 5 August 2004

Grade: II*

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 7607

Building Class: Domestic

ID on this website: 300007607

Location: In a wooded upland location, approx. 1km SE of Darowen and reached by tracks running N from Tal y Wern.

County: Powys

Community: Glantwymyn

Community: Glantwymyn

Locality: Darowen

Traditional County: Montgomeryshire

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History

Originally a cruck-framed medieval hall-house dated to c1480. It was remodelled in the C17 with the insertion of a chimney, forming a lobby entrance plan, and a ceiling to provide an upper storey. A parlour was added to the W end which contains a pre-glazing window to the rear basement. The outer walls were probaby reconstructed in box-panelling during this period. They were rebuilt in stone probably in the C18-19 when an outbuilding was added to the E end, which included a cart-shed, granary and possibly a stable. This range incorporates the outer room of the house. The outbuilding was converted for domestic use in the mid-late C20. The W gable end collapsed in the later C20 and was rebuilt.

Exterior

Long 2-storey range comprising house with former outbuilding adjoining to R, which incorporates part of the original dwelling. Constructed of limewashed shaley rubble under slate roofs, the ridge-height of the former outbuilding slightly lower; stone stack to R of house. The house is 2-unit with a parlour added to the W end later. Lobby entrance to R of house with boarded door under timber lintel. Most of the windows are 2-light wooden casements, mainly with small panes under timber lintels; some of these are said to be mid-late C20, replacing larger 1930s windows. The house has 2 windows to L of entrance. Upper storey has 3 windows beneath eaves, that to R narrower, and with quarry glazing. The added parlour to L has large quoins and a casement window to the ground floor as elsewhere. Rear of house has a 6-pane window to L in a splayed opening, the timber lintel slate-hung. To the R is a possible blocked doorway with timber lintel, beyond which is a shallow 2-light casement. The upper storey has 3 x 2-light iron glazed windows, that to the R smaller. The added parlour unit has a 2-light wooden casement to ground floor, and a small pre-glazing window with 2 chamfered timber mullions to the basement storey. W gable end rebuilt in C20 with boarded door to L and large wooden window to R. The upper storey is slightly jettied and slate-hung and contains a wide wooden window.

The former outbuilding has 3 casement windows to the upper storey, but the ground floor openings are altered: former cart-shed bay to R end has large timber lintel, but it has been infilled with a door and 3-light casement. To its L are 2 inserted casement windows, beyond which is a blocked doorway with long timber lintel, infilled with a 2-light window to the former outer room. The blocked doorway suggests this room may have had service or agricultural use at some time. External stone staircase to E gable end, now denuded, leading to a planked door; 2-light casement window to R at ground floor level. The rear of the former outbuilding has a 2-light casement to ground floor offset to R, a tiny iron-glazed window to the upper L and a 9-pane iron window towards the upper R.

Interior

Lobby inside front entrance with boarded door to L leading into hall. Large stone fireplace with substantial timber lintel, with brickwork to its rear. Ceiling with 2 chamfered spine beams and stop-chamfered joists. Post-and-panel partition opposite fireplace at dais end, thought to be C17 in its current form. It contains doorways in each side with shallow segmental heads, which lead into the 2 inner rooms. These are divided axially by a box-framed partition on a high plinth, with small room to S side, and staircase passage with flagstone floor to N side. Winding wooden staircase, probably C17, to rear wall, and straight stair leading down to basement beneath the added parlour. The pre-glazing window in the basement has a boarded hatch. Beyond the inner rooms, the former parlour is now a modernised kitchen; it contains the original W gable end of the building, the cruck truss is overlaid with box panelling and there is a small window to the R of the upper storey with diamond quarry glazing. To the R of the lobby entrance, a door leads into a heated outer room; it contains a fireplace with timber lintel and brick grate backing onto the hall fireplace; the ceiling is modernised.

The upper storey retains good cruck trusses; 2nd from E, above the hall fireplace, is an arched-brace truss with King-post above the collar. Beneath the truss is an inserted 1st floor fireplace with long timber lintel, whilst a doorway to the R cuts through one of the cruck blades and leads into a further bedroom. The 2nd truss from the W retains a collar, the King-post probably obscured by plaster. The original W end truss, now visible in the kitchen is also of this form. The E end of the house was incorporated into an outbuilding, and the position of the original E end truss is not clear; a stone partition now divides the outer room from the former outbuilding.

The former outbuilding, later converted for domestic use, is 2-bay and divided by a pegged tie-beam truss with collar and struts. There are 2 upstairs rooms reached by a straight timber staircase to the E end.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* for the exceptional survival of the C15 hall-house. It was remodelled in the C17 and retains particularly fine interior detail from both periods.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Pen y banc
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  • II Telephone call-box, Darowen.
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  • II Old Rectory
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  • II Outbuilding at Old Rectory
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  • II Rhiwgoch
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