History

The property is mentioned in 1575 as the property of the Rumsey family and much of the outer fabric is C16-C17 in origin. It was remodelled in 1830 by the Nichol family and divided into separate dwellings with flying freeholds. There is a link with the Wyatt and Nichol family graves in St Mary's churchyard: the architect family of TH Wyatt and Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (brothers), who organised the remodelling, married into the Nichol family. (Matthew Digby Wyatt was the co-designer with Brunel of Paddington station.) The grotesques at front door came from the Palace of Westminster. Bradney writing in 1921 refers to the name Ynys Hafod as recent.

Exterior

An integrated L-shaped range comprising 3 separate dwellings. Built of stone rubble with mostly roughly dressed stone dressings, painted to side. Steep pitched slate roof with swept overhanging boarded eaves, sprocketed to rear, tall rendered corniced ridge stacks with decorative pots; four gabled full dormers. Altogether a 7-window range of 12-pane sashes (no glazing bars to two lower windows at left) with painted lintels and sills, 9 9-pane to the dormers.

Ynys Hafod now comprises the four left bays and the doorway which is central to the range but on the right of the present house; it has a Tudor-arch flanked by gargoyle type grotesques. The windows with coloured glass are blind, fronting chimney stacks behind. To rear a completely different style elevation, rendered and painted, central Venetian window with separating pilasters and small balcony, flanked by 12-pane sashes. Ground floor has a central semi-circular porch with slender Corinthian columns and entablature with wreathed frieze; recessed glazed door with overlight. What may have been a more open verandah was enclosed c1900 with long sashes with multi-pane upper and plain lower lights. To left the narrow hipped roof slightly projecting staircase wing with similar sash and segmental arched ground floor doorway. Deep projecting cross wing to the left with sprocketed eaves and cornice across gable end; two window range of similar sashes to first floor side elevation; gable end has what appears to be an original C17 cross-framed mullion and transom window with leaded quarry glazing; small wrought-iron balconies to two upper floor windows.

Min Yr Afon comprises the 3 right bays; a big gap between the two inner bays reflects the interior arrangement where staircase unusually rises against that wall, the result of a reordered interior. At end right is a doorway, now unused. The two right openings are set under partially blocked arches relating to earlier openings. To side is the present entrance, a small gabled hood over a round-arched doorway with recessed boarded door and fanlight. Top floor has two 12-pane sashes in reveals and ground floor 3 cambered-arched brick-headed windows, one of which is a small-pane casement. One bay of the main building’s rear elevation projects: 16-pane first floor sash window, 12-pane below, very narrow glazing bars.

To the right is Henllys, comprising the end bay of the cross wing with a first floor casement window, a front single-storey wing with part-hipped roof and rounded end adjacent to the front door of Min Yr Afon, and lower wing to side: doorway with multi-pane overlight.

Interior

Interior of Ynys Hafod has mainly single-width rooms, the late C19 staircase rising from the rear hall. Shutters, cornices, 6-panelled doors with fluted surrounds. Ceiling hooks to former kitchen/pantry. Upstairs a passage has been created in the remodelling to provide separate access to bedrooms. Gothick-glazed display cupboards on each floor, intersecting glazing bars upstairs, polygonal downstairs. Painted panelling in the cross wing, could be C17 in origin.

Interior of Min Yr Afon has a hall on the axis of the cross wing which joins the main building at a chamfered stone Tudor-arch, clearly an original entrance from outside as there are holes for bars behind. The inserted staircase of the Georgian dwelling rises behind, separating drawing and dining rooms which have 6-panelled doors, shutters; first floor bedrooms have plain marble fireplace and panelling. Attic in roof apex shows thick purlins and trusses. Landing has a small casement now opening onto Ynys Hafod interior. Cellar.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* for special historic and architectural interest as part of an important group with C16 origins. Group value with adjacent listed buildings in New Market St, including Railings and Gates at Ynys Hafod and Min Yr Afon, and Gazebo at rear of Ynys Hafod.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17739292

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

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)