History

Likely to have been built in the early to mid-C17, Hafod Gethin is the original farmhouse at Plas Gwyn, relegated to ancillary status after the present house was built in the late C18. The stables/hayloft was probably added at this time or shortly afterwards, but the cowhouse appears to belong to the first phase. The original 2-room plan of the farmhouse is likely to have been created by a timber partition below the cross beam immediately to the left of the entrance; the present stone cross wall to the right of the entrance is a later insertion, presumably erected when the timber partition was removed. The existing staircase may also have been put in at this time.

Exterior

Farmhouse with attached cowhouse and stables/hayloft. 2-room, 2-storey house part, aligned roughly east-west with cowhouse attached under same roof line to right (west) gable end and stables/hayloft under slightly lower ridge to left; virtually full-length lean-to at rear, to west of which is a further lean-to forming a pigsty. Roughly coursed rubblestone, limewashed to house part, lean-to and stables/hayloft, exposed to cowhouse, the gable end of which is more regularly coursed with some galleting; graded slate roof to main building, corrugated iron sheeting to large lean-to, slate to small lean-to. House part has plank door offset to right, flanked by 9-paned sash windows, right in deep recess; substantial ridge stacks with slate drips at junctions with stables/hayloft and cowhouse; right-angled lean-to at junction with cowhouse has small eaves window above and links the building to Plas Gwyn. To right of this is the cowhouse, with 6-paned metal window to left and recessed boarded door to right. Stables has 2 windows to left; gable end has boarded door to right and stone steps to left with retaining wall leading to boarded hatch in hayloft. 2 small C19 rooflights in back roofslope of house part; C20 windows and doors in large lean-to and 2 low doorways for pigsty in small lean-to, to west of which in back wall of cowhouse are a boarded door and window.

Interior

House part has stone cross-wall immediately to right of entrance; cross-beam to left with evidence of stud partition on underside marks position of an earlier partition; further beams above cross-wall and to right wall; heavy exposed joists running through from large left room to smaller room on right, latter having small fireplace with timber lintel and cast-iron grate. Massive stack to left room with chamfered timber lintel and bread oven; slate floor and straight-flight staircase along back wall with rustic pole handrail. Wide boards to first floor which has 2 pegged A-frame trusses; double purlins are later replacements. Cowhouse has 2 pegged A-frame trusses with lime torching to double purlins and limewashed walls.

Reasons for Listing

Included as an unusually well-preserved modest C17 farmhouse of long-house derivative type, a rare survival in this area, retaining clear evidence of its original plan-form and several primary features following its decline in status in the late C18. Situated in very close proximity to the house which succeeded it - Plas Gwyn.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29499470

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)