History

Shown on the Tithe map of Llandeilo Fawr largely in its current form of a farmhouse and attached cowhouse with a barn opposite and uphill. Probably constructed in the early C18 it was tenanted in 1841 by William Harries. By the 1st ed OS map of 1885 a rear lean to had been added to the cottage and it is likely that it was remodelled in between the Tithe and 1885.

It was originally built as a lofted single storey 2 unit house with an entrance (without lobby) directly onto the main fireplace at the left or downslope end and two windows lighting the main room and a smaller parlour at the upper end. An internal doorway adjacent to the entrance gave access into the downslope cowhouse. The upper floor was access by a gable stair against the fireplace.

At some point, likely to be before the 1st ed OS map was surveyed, the plan was altered to create a central entrance with the original blocked up and a new central timber stair inserted directly off the door. The windows were also reformed with clear phasing in the masonry in the use of an earth mortar during the original construction and a lime mortar for this phase of alteration. It is also likely that the rear lean-to was added at this point and the gables raised to increase headroom.

The original floor structure appears to have survived with two large evenly spaced roughed cross beams and smaller joists. It has been truncated to allow the insertion of the central stair with a bearer attached to the left hand partition of the stair to support the cut joist ends. The rear part of the right hand partition survives as wattle and daub and must be the original partitioning suggesting a division of the original house continued with the remodelling of the entrance and stair arrangement.

The attached cowhouse is contemporary with the house with an entrance (narrowed) to the right adjacent to the house but it has been altered and rebuilt, mainly at higher level but retaining the original masonry lower down as well as the essential plan and layout.

Exterior

Farmhouse, 2 unit 1½ storey with attached cowhouse to the lower end. Gable end chimneys, whitewashed rubble stone, and tin roof over thatch. Offset door with 4-panel door, central 4-pane sash window, taller casement window to right set higher. Blocked door with projecting hood to left (original entrance). Right gable, raised, with 9-light sash to the ground floor offset to right, off-centre casement window above. Lean-to at rear, roofless. Cowhouse attached to left, 3 doors to ground floor and central upper pitching door, all with plain boarded doors. Gable raised.

Interior

Central entrance with timber stair dividing the interior into kitchen to the left and smaller parlour to the right. Originally with entrance directly onto the fireplace with adjacent connecting doorway to cowhouse, both now blocked with doorway blocking not full depth and with inbuilt shelves. Large fireplace with range, brackets for drying rack, gable stair to the right of the fireplace, now partially infilled and converted into cupboard. Doorway inserted through rear wall to lean-to. Parlour with cast iron fireplace and recessed cupboard in gable wall.

The upper floor is divided into 2 rooms with a rough partition on the line of the right hand roof truss. Larger bedroom above the kitchen with substantial stepped chimney stack, smaller room above the parlour with small fireplace. Rough trusses roughly worked with pegged joints, mid level collars and squared purlins. Thatch visible on closely spaced wide riven rafters, with woven probably hazel substructure possibly with a gorse under-thatch between the ridge and upper purlin.

Lean-to derelict but retains slate slab benches and evidence of stone slate roofing.

Reasons for Listing

Included for its special architectural interest as a rare surviving example of an unaltered small traditional vernacular farmstead, of early pre1840 origins but altered historically. It retains substantial original and historic character and fabric including important vernacular detailing in the thatch roof and evidence of its early origins and development of its plan form.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)