Full Report for Listed Buildings
Summary Description of a Listed Buildings
Date of Designation
19/09/2002
Date of Amendment
19/09/2002
Name of Property
Hen-efail
Location
Reached by a lane nearly opposite the farm of Groed-ddu, 2 km south-west of the village of Pontrobert.
Broad Class
Agriculture and Subsistence
History
Probably C18. A nearby house, now named Weeg Smithy, is marked on the C19 County Series Ordnance Survey as Efail Newydd, and Hen-efail possibly obtained its name when superseded by this.
In 1849 this cottage (unnamed) was recorded as that of a smallholding of 5 acres held under the Rev. John Williams.
Exterior
Hen-efail is a two-unit cottage of 1½ storeys ranging south-west/north-east, with its chimney at the south-west gable end. Uncoursed quasi-rubble stone, slate roof. A third unit to the north-east has a slightly lower roof, the latter now covered in corrugated steel sheeting (a few slates surviving). Lean-to calf-house at right (north-east) with corrugated roof; small stone-walled enclosure at its front lacking gate.
At front (south-east elevation) there is a baffle-entry doorway at the left, and two windows with timber lintels. Two dormer windows (with slate lean-to roofs and cheeks) aligned with the windows below . In the additional bay to the right is a small casement window and a door, both with timber lintels.
At rear there is a slight projection of the bread oven at the side of the main chimney. One window at rear, also one in apex of north-east gable.
Interior
Large hearth at south-west end with baffle-entry to its left and a large bread oven built into the right side. Timber-framed partition between units and also between the house and the outer unit which may have been the smithy.
The outer unit (to north-east) until recently lacked an upper floor, but is likely to have had one originally as there is a loft window.
Reason for designation
A late vernacular stone walled cottage with workshop (taken to be a smithy) and accommodation for animals, which has retained much of its character.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]