5

 

I  

Designated  

14/02/1952  

12/09/2001  

Fferm Farmhouse  

A541  

Flintshire  

Leeswood and Pontblyddyn  

 

Pontblyddyn  

327909  

360312  

NE  

Situated on the N side of the A541, approx. 0.25km to the E of Pontblyddyn.  

Domestic  

 

Fferm was established as the seat of a secondary branch of the Lloyds of Hartsheath by the late C15. The present house was probably built by John Lloyd who is recorded as being 'of Fferm' during the period 1575 and 1625. The central storeyed gabled porch is a near-contemporary addition. The house was originally fronted by an enclosed forecourt and an heraldic cobbled path leads from the position of the original stone gate to the front of the porch. Incorporated in the cobbles are the arms of the Lloyds of Fferm and the Ellis family of Althrey Hall, Bangor-on-Dee. It is thought that the house was originally H-plan, with a central Hall with cross-passage and screen to the left. The service cross-wing beyond the passage has a large kitchen to the rear with pantry and buttery to the front. The parlour cross-wing is thought to have housed the original main stair. Estate maps indicate that the parlour wing was demolished at some point after 1766. However it is clear from internal evidence that a major alteration of the circulation pattern of the house was carried out in the late C17 when the present main staircase was inserted. It is not clear why there is a discrepancy between the date of the secondary main stair and the demolition of the original parlour wing. It has been suggested that the parlour wing was abandoned at some stage during the late C17, possibly after suffering damage in the Civil War at the hands of the Parliamentary forces, and that a new staircase was inserted in the late C17 to provide access to the upper storey, while the parlour wing was retained as an ruined shell. The estate passed into the Puleston family at the end of the C17 and the farmhouse was tenanted by the later C18. The house was fully restored in 1960 by Robert Heaton of TACP Wrexham for the Jones-Mortimer family.  

Late C16 small manorial house, and its design follows the local vernacular style of other such houses such as Pentrehobyn. It is built of stone rubble, probably once rendered, with sandstone dressings to windows and doors, slate roof. Entrance elevation: central storeyed gabled porch which was added shortly after the house was originally constructed although it is unclear exactly when. Stone kneelers and modern ball finials. An ogee arched doorway (probably from W wall of brewhouse) with moulded dripmoulding. The spandrels of the arch bear the date 1506 and this appears to have been recarved in the C19. Above the porch doorway is a niche in which a C19 topographical watercolour depicts the date 1589; now there is a stone cartouche here containing the Lloyd arms, this was imported in the mid C20 from another building. Behind the arch the original entrance has a four-centred arch which leads directly into the cross-passage. To left; gable kitchen cross-wing of 2 storeys with attic. Stone mullioned windows to all floors, some with transomes and mostly 3-light. To right large lateral rubble stack with tall decorative brick chimneys, modern brick stack to right of porch to N of house. Rear elevation: to left Hall range; stone depressed ogee-arched doorway, with massive iron studded door leads directly into cross-passage. Stone mullioned and transomed windows; the cross wing has 6-light window below a 5-light window and a small stepped window to the gable. W gable end; probably re-built in the C18 when the parlour wing was demolished. Gable wall contains reset stone mullioned and transomed window to first floor.  

Retains its sub-medieval plan-form and much original detail: cross-passage, to right contains original post and panel wooden screen with 2 segmental-headed openings, with late C17 panelled doors. Doorway to left is service and that to right has much more elaborate carved wooden architrave details emphasing that right hand door is more polite. Single storey hall retains good Tudor-arched sandstone fireplace, heavy stopped moulded beams to ceiling, with iron meat hooks dating from when this room was used as a kitchen. To S later inserted partition walls which forms present kitchen/cloakroom. Service cross-wing: timber-framed partition wall with 2 doorways, with boarded doors with latches, leads into this wing from the cross-passage. Large kitchen to the rear, with former serving hatch visible. Large sandstone fireplace with rear recess for salt. Massive over-built ceiling with chamfered and stopped joists. Former pantry to front, raised floor to accommodate cellar space below. Now heated with small Regency fireplace re-used from bedroom upstairs. Narrow late C17 well-staircase in former buttery position, wooden with carved and turned balusters and handrail. Staircase continues up to attic via a lobby borrowed from the original chamber over the kitchen. The access to the attic may possibly date from an early C17 phase of alterations. Room above pantry; stone fireplace, flat plaster ceiling with simple cornice, original ribbed and boarded door. Other rooms contain similar fireplaces and a number of contemporary arched and chamfered doors. Cellar; worn stone steps, partly stone flagged floor with later slate storage shelves.  

Listed grade I as an exceptionally fine example of a small manorial house which retains much of its original sub-medieval fixtures and fittings.