History

Formerly known as Hen Neuadd. Possibly mid C16, certainly built before the mid C17. Traditionally the birthplace in 1579 (or 1572-3) of Rev Rhys Prichard, author of Canwyll y Cymry, noted preacher, chancellor of St Davids. The house was the Neuadd, farmhouse of Vicar Prichard's father Dafydd ap Richard ap Dafydd ap Rhys ap Dafydd and mother, Mary, but known as the Hen Neuadd after Vicar Prichard's own house, the famous Neuadd Newydd had been built just to the W. Rhys Prichard was Vicar of Llandingat from 1602 and died in 1644. Canwyll y Cymry, the collection of his homilies in verse has been described as 'the most formative work in the Welsh tongue' and second only in influence to the Bible itself. The verses were collected after his death and published from 1659, the complete edition prepared by the Rev Stephen Hughes in 1672, who first called the book Canwyll y Cymry in his 1681 edition.
Both properties passed from Prichard to his grand-daughter Elizabeth Mainwaring, from the Mainwaring family to E.M.D. Howarth, whose estate was sold by court order in 1782 to the Davies, later Saunders-Davies, family who sold their Llandovery estate in 1884, when the 2 houses were first separated.
The Neuadd Newydd was given by the purchaser to the corporation for the benefit of the people of Llandovery but left to go derelict, the front wing was demolished in 1904, while the rear wing set up as almshouses was demolished for a corporation yard in 1947.
The Hen Neuadd was probably tenanted as a farm long before 1782. Not named in 1810-11 rate books, but probably the house rated to Mr Morgan, surgeon, tenanted by Thomas Williams. It became the Neuadd Arms inn before 1835, occupied from 1835-40 by Rowland Williams, maltster, who may have rewindowed the front. Taken 1840-44 by R James, who lived in the Neuadd Newydd, then by Rees Price, Eleanor Price, John Griffiths, the inn last mentioned in the 1868 directory. In 1892 owned and occupied by A Griffiths possibly as a private house, Miss Griffiths is listed as private resident 1895. Before 1899 bought with other properties by F Gerwyn Jones, of the Jones banking family. The outshut is said to have been used as a cow-house with servants' sleeping loft above, but the big E fireplace suggests a kitchen use from early on.

Exterior

Detached house, of 3 bays and 2 storeys with attic. Steep slate gabled roof with rubble stone chimneys, massive external chimneybreast to E and second shorter massive chimney adjoining on E end of outshut, smaller W end stack. Close eaves, long catslide roof to rear. Roughcast on rubble stone facade. Plinth. Two attic dormer windows with slate hipped roofs and slate-hung sides, one blocked one with 3-pane fixed glazing. Main front windows are spaced towards centre and relatively small, C19 6-pane horned sash windows, except for left hand ground floor which is 2-6-2-pane tripartite sash. Wide central recessed moulded 6-panel door with glazed upper panels. End walls and rear of formerly whitewashed rubble stone with many rounded river stones. Right end 12-pane sash window visible to 2nd floor right. Left end has massive projecting chimneybreast with offsets, with attic window to left and 2nd floor 5-pane sash. Second massive chimney stack protruding through cat slide rear roof. Window to left in end of outshut. Low rear wall with door and 2 windows. C20 glazed double doors.

Interior

The house appears to be of a single build with heavy unchamfered beams regularly set on both floors and rough squared floor joists. Roof of 4 large pegged oak collar trusses, unchamfered. Centre hall passage with stairs and room each side. Room to E has large fireplace beam, room to W has small altered fireplace. Plank doors throughout, some repaired or renewed. Centre dog-leg oak stair in 4 flights, closed string, square bead-moulded newels with caps, moulded rails, square balusters, except on top flight to loft which has flat balusters. Attic landing rail and similar newel posts. Rear outshut has heavy beams and principal rafters. Fireplace with heavy oak lintel at E end. First floor landing breaks through thick wall between main range and outshut. Oak plank floors to loft.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as an important C16 to C17 house and for historical significance as the probable birthplace of the Rev Rhys Prichard.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17742426

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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  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
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