20625

 

II  

Designated  

21/10/1998  

21/10/1998  

Middle Gaer  

 

Powys  

Llanfihangel Cwmdu with Bwlch and Cathedine  

 

Gaer  

316968  

221719  

 

On E side of a minor road N of A40 at Kestrel Inn, and standing on S side of a junction with road to Lower Gaer.  

Defence  

 

Early C17 farmhouse either replacing or additional to the C16 house at Middle Gaer, and possibly therefore an example of gavelkind, the division of holding equally among sons. The original house had an outside cross passage and may have been a true longhouse. A cider cellar is said to have been added soon after, followed by a scullery and dairy, and a kitchen in a cross wing. The house was extensively improved c1900 with new fenestration and new internal partitions and stairs.  

Two-storey main range with lower 2-storey scullery and dairy attached to L (S) gable end, which has 2-storey kitchen wing in front, forming an L-plan. Pebble-dashed rubble walls and slate roof; some slates missing. The main range has roughcast stacks to R and centre and its walls are battered at the base. The front has 4 late C19 horned sashes to upper storey, and 2 similar windows to lower storey flanking a boarded up front door R of centre (which opened into the original cross passage). To L, in the angle with the kitchen wing, is a late C19 porch. The R gable end has a corbelled 1st-floor stack. In the rear elevation are two 2-light casements in the upper storey, a similar window to L in lower storey, which has an inserted pantry window to its R, all late C19. To R in lower storey is a later 2-light casement in earlier opening. In the scullery to S is a late C19 horned sash in upper storey and 2-light casement below. (Attached to S end of scullery is a former cow house.) The kitchen wing has a stone end stack. To the front it has a late C19 horned sash L of porch, and a similar window in the upper storey.  

Not inspected but the following features were recorded by RCAHM Wales in 1994: The main room retains a post-and-panel partition; the scullery leads to a cider cellar which retains a shallow rubble shelf for cider barrels, while the dairy retains salting slabs; a former attic stair beside the main chimney has been removed; the roof trusses have tenoned collars.  

A good example of a sub-medieval Breconshire farm-house, and part of an impressive group of early houses at Middle and Upper Gaer.