1393

 

II*  

Designated  

16/11/1962  

11/01/2002  

Pwllhalog farmhouse  

 

Denbighshire  

Cwm  

 

Pwllhalog  

308805  

377713  

E  

To the south-east corner of Pwllhalog farmstead, about 2 km east of Cwm Parish Church; the house is within a stone-walled enclosure.  

Domestic  

 

A sub-mediaeval house, the later western cross-wing of which has a crow-stepped north gable characteristic of the closing years of the C16, and constitutes the parlour end of the house. This feature also indicates the house was formerly of gentry status. Part of the cross-wing has been demolished. There was formerly a large west lateral chimney at the position which is now the south west corner of the house (seen in old drawings). The crow-stepped south elevation is false, the wing having been shortened. The crow-steps of the north porch are also modern. The house was the birthplace of Bishop Parry, translator of the Welsh Bible in 1623. It remained in the Parry family until the late C18. In 1844 Pwllhalog was recorded as a farm in the Mostyn estate occupied by William Hughes with 280 acres (113 hectares) within the parish.  

The main range of the house is of two-storeys in local axe-dressed limestone, ranging east-west, with a slightly lower service wing to the north at the east end and a short two-storey wing centrally to the north side. Thick slates with tile ridges (east slope sheeted). Plain gables. This main range abuts the later and taller western cross-wing and there is a large axial chimney (serving the original kitchen) where the main range and the western cross-wing meet. The north elevation of the main range has small stone windows, the upper ones with mullions. Altered fenestration to the south elevation. At the west end is a later large two-storey cross-wing with an attic, suggestive of a rise in the status of the house. It has a porch at the north and is built in a different stonework technique, with the much weathered remains of rendering. The cross-wing and its porch have slate roofs and crow-steps. The cross-wing is considerably taller than the main range, both ground and upper floors being at a higher level. The wing has large mullion and transom windows above and below on the west elevation, with label moulds; this was architecturally the main front of the house. In the north elevation of this wing there are mullion and transom windows at first floor and attic level. There are stone windows also to the adjacent west elevation of the north service wing, including a mullioned ground storey window with five lights (above which the bottom stone of a farmyard press has been inserted)  

The main range is of two units, a service end to the east and a large room with an unusually large kitchen fireplace to the west with irregular timber bressummer, beyond which is the cross-wing. Chamfered beams. Wide doors hung on lugs. Stairs between the two units of the main range; another staircase in the cross-wing. In the room above the original kitchen there is Jacobean wainscot. The attic is said to have an original truss. Some timber framed partitioning remains in the cross-wing.  

A farmhouse of sub-mediaeval origins and subsequently of gentry status with the addition of a fine late C16 or early C17 crosswing, with distinctive crow-stepped detail, albeit now incomplete; the house retains much of its architectural character, and is also noted as the birthplace of Bishop Parry.