18863

 

II  

Designated  

03/09/1997  

17/02/2003  

Aberfan Fawr Farmhouse  

 

Merthyr Tydfil  

Merthyr Vale  

Merthyr Tydfil  

Aberfan  

307381  

199161  

 

On W side of River Taff, approximately 500m SW of railway station. At right angles to road, aligned roughly E-W on platformed site.  

Domestic  

 

Farmhouse built downhill to slope. Original longhouse of early C17 type had storeyed house at upper W end and byre below, byre converted to house in C18, doubling original house with central cross-passage between, flanked by single rooms or halls with chimneys backing onto passage. The lower half of S front (former byre) has sash windows possibly in C18 openings. A window-sill is dated 1845, possibly the date of the attached small lofted stable to E. A blocked diamond-mullioned window was found by Sir Cyril Fox in 1944 in the N wall. Altered since 1997 in renovations, incomplete at time of inspection. The 2-light ovolo-moulded mullion window on N front first floor right has gone and most of the fenestration has been renewed, some with concrete lintels. S front description does not match present fenestration. The illustrations in RCAHMW volume show 2 halls each with fireplace backing onto the cross passage, the W hall C17, the E hall C18, both with small inner rooms at upper ends, the chimney at W end of C17 hall added in C18. Illustrated are a part-blocked 3-light mullion window with hood from first floor, and otherwise features from C18 addition: chamfered beam with scrolled stop from hall, lath-and-plaster partition with 2 doors, chamfered beams from hall and chamfered beam with joist from cross-passage, chamfered square-headed doorway with plank door and detail of chamfered doorway in C18 partition. Reconstruction drawing of N front shows hoodmoulds over all lower openings.  

Two-storey farmhouse of early C17, enlarged C18 and altered 1845 and c2000. Rubble stone with heavy boulder footings and 3 chimneys. External painted roughcast stack on upper W end, and two large square rendered stacks on ridge, about one bay apart. Slate close-eaved steep roofs, slightly higher eaves to former byre to left of first ridge stack, slates renewed c2000 with red terracotta ridge tiles. N front has C20 casement pair to ground floor right and then larger C20 casement pair, both with concrete lintels and stone sills, small casement pair under eaves to left, slate sill. Blocked loop at mid height further left in line with first of large chimneys, presumably a former stair light. Chimney has projecting dripstone N. A beam-end exposed in wall to left of larger ground floor window. In bay between the 2 chimneys is tall doorway with concrete lintel. To left of second chimney is another door with brick sides, and 2 small square windows, the left one with damaged stone-slate hoodmould the right one with traces of lost hoodmould. W end wall is painted roughcast with big external chimneybreast with angled set-offs, one to left, 3 to right. C20 attic window to left mentioned in 1997, another to right, not mentioned. S facade is in 2 distinct parts the lower part stepped forward to right of first ridge stack, with lower eaves, roof otherwise continuous. Upper left section has centre casement pair under eaves, casement pair to ground floor left with concrete lintel and door to centre right in c2000 porch. Lower section has door to left with square window under eaves above and 2 long windows, former sashes, to right with timber lintels and stone-slate hoodmould to left window, stone-slate dripstone to right window. First floor 12-pane window above left window, also former sash. At lower E end is former lofted stable, rubble stone with corrugated-iron roof with roughly central doorway, small window to right under loading door to loft. Below this to E is remnant of pigsty with stone-slate roof.  

Not available for inspection, said in 1988 to have roof with notched lapped collars to trusses, framed partition in E ground floor room with stop-chamfered jambs to doorways, old boarded door to hall with similar jambs and chamfered beams.  

Included as C17 former longhouse extended into byre in C18, a rare survivor in the region.