History

House, C17 origins, owned in C17 by Edward William and his son John Edward, and in late C17 by Richard Lewis JP, of Cefngwyn, Elerch, High Sheriff in 1701. Noted as the home from c. 1746-57 of Lewis Morris (1701-65), scholar, map-maker and steward of the lead-mines, involved in this area at the Cwmerfyn and Cwmsymlog mines. Morris' first wife died and he re-married, to Anne Lloyd of Penbryn, Goginan while living here in 1749, but moved to Penbryn by 1757. His letters to his brothers comment on alterations he made to the house, including making his study. Marked on 1845 Tithe map as owned by John Smith Bonsall (of Crynfryn House, Aberystwyth), occupied by Morris Jones. It was part of the Bonsall of Fronfraith estate until the earlier C20, when sold to the Thomas family, tenants. Sir Lewis Morris, descendant of Lewis Morris, visited in 1909 and wrote a poem about the house.

Exterior

House, whitewashed render with slate roof and three brick stacks. Two-storey, long four-window front comprising three-bay main house to left and single bay service section to right. Main part has three first floor casement pair windows under eaves and ground floor 16-pane sash to left (not aligned with window above), centre half-glazed door with overlight, and two 12-pane sashes to right, the first set just right of door, the second aligned with window above. The service section has door and 4-pane sash to ground floor and casement pair window, like those elsewhere, over the 4-pane sash. Horned sash windows, slate sills. Heavy raised cement plinth. Left end gable partly rebuilt in brick in C20, has first floor casement pair to left, over rubble lean-to with two casement pair windows to farmyard.
Rendered right end wall with C20 window to ground floor right.
Rear has long outshut with C20 casement pair and door in rear of service section, two triple casements and casement pair to rear of main house.
Attached to rear right is large lofted outbuilding of whitewashed rubble with some earth walling, running back into bank at N. On rear E, overlooking back of house, is C20 window in former loft door set back under gable, then a broad 3-light window with oak lintel to centre right. N end wall, mostly earth, has door to loft with oak lintel. Farmyard W side has two doors with timber lintels to left, then large added open lean-to with rubble right end wall. Within are a small window and two former cart-entries to right, with oak lintels, infilled, and one centre loft window under eaves.
To S of lean-to on end of main house is a single storey whitewashed rubble range running S. W front has two doors and two infilled cart entries, C20 doors. Blank rear to front garden apart from door at extreme right.

Interior

Interior not available for inspection.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a farmhouse with attached farm ranges of C18 or earlier origins, and for special interest as the home of Lewis Morris.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29489302

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

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  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
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  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
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  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)