16053

 

II  

Designated  

26/05/1995  

26/05/1995  

Blaenau  

 

Gwynedd  

Brithdir and Llanfachreth  

 

Rhydymain  

279188  

322719  

 

Located about 2km NW of Rhydymain at the end of a long lanel eading NW form the A 494 near the Pont Rhyd-ddwl.  

Domestic  

 

Late C17/early C18 substantial farmhouse altered and extended in second quarter and later C19. The primary house was a north-facing 2-and-a-half storey, 3-window house, to which a further bay was added to the W gable end shortly afterwards. The house was then re-orientated eastwards and an L-shaped E entrance range was added. Blaenau was the birthplace and home of Rice Jones (1713-1801), the poet and antiquary.  

Rubble construction, the C19 work of coursed blocks; slate roofs and plain stacks with weather-coursing. 3-bay E (entrance) front with 2 wide gabled bays flanking an entrance bay, that to the L advanced; simply-moulded bargeboards with expressed purlin ends to verges. Later C19 part-glazed door with wooden canted bay windows to the ground-floors of the flanking gabled bays; plain Victorian sash glazing and dentilated cornices. Earlier C19 12 and 16-pane recessed sash windows to the upper floors, the latter to the L bay. Slate-hung S side with lateral chimney (C19). Beyond, a storied, canted bay window with small-pane glazing. The N elevation has a large gable to the L, absorbing the 2 left-hand bays of the primary house. Entrance to bay 2 with 4-panelled door with square doorlights above. Flanking this, a 12-pane sash window to L and a 20-pane sash to R; two 8-pane sashes to the first floor with a further, blocked window to the L. To the R a vertical masonry break; the added bay beyond this is built into the hill; boarded door to L with small, 4-pane light to R. 2 gabled dormers to roof, one on either side of the break; 4-pane windows. Further plain C19 service wing to rear.  

Entrance hall and stairwell with late C19 polychromed floor-tiles. 6-panelled doors with reeded late Regency architraves to main rooms; panelled reveals. Drawing room (to R) with early C18 raised and fielded dado panelling, large-field and now painted; associated panelled window seat. Tall Victorian stained glass window to stairwell; contempoarry oak staircase with turned, finialled newel posts, turned balusters and oak stairs. 2-panel C18 door to first floor passage. Stopped-chamfered mainbeams to early part on both floors and some contemporary random-width floorboards to the first. Pegged upper cruck truss with collar and tie-beam to N attic; beamed ceiling and 2-bay upper cruck roof as before to W bay at upper level; this with large blocked inglenook to gable end.  

An early vernacular house with C19 remodelling, retaining much internal and external character and historically the home of the poet Rice Jones.