21875

 

II  

Designated  

19/07/1966  

17/06/1999  

Pyllau-Clai  

 

Denbighshire  

Cyffylliog  

Ruthin  

Bont-uchel  

307692  

358828  

 

Located at the NE boundary of the community approximately 1km NW of Bont-uchel; accessed via a metalled lane running NE from a road running N from the bridge at Bont-Uchel.  

Domestic  

 

Large 2-storey brick end chimney farmhouse, dated 1703 though possibly with earlier, timber-framed origins; the name of the house suggests that the bricks employed were burnt on-site. An early-C19 rubble brewhouse addition adjoins the NE gable end at right-angles, thereby linking an earlier rubble stable (?) block with the house. Extensive modernisation, which included the addition of a large porch block to the rear, was undertaken c1994.  

Early C18 2-storey end-chimney house. Of brick construction (locally-burnt) with limestone and sandstone dressings; on a tall rubble plinth, cemented-over on the main (garden) front. Renewed slate roof with rendered, 2-stage chimneys and modern capping. Coped and kneelered gable parapets, the kneelers of sandstone and the copings of slate-stone; those to the L gable on the garden side are modern replacements in sandstone. Six-bay, near-symmetrical front with stringcourse between the ground and first floors; this consists of a dentilated course of diagonally-set bricks with a plain, projecting stretcher course above; large limestone quoins to the L corner, none to the R. Near-centre entrance to the fourth bay (from L), with a single-storey Victorian brick porch. This has a pointed arch with counter-changed red/yellow voussoirs and a modern slate roof with plain modern bargeboards; modern part-glazed porch door. The inner entrance has a 5-panel pine door (now stripped and stained), perhaps the original; moulded, raised and fielded upper panels, with blind panels below; Victorian overlight with marginal glazing. The window openings have had some disturbance but are unaltered in terms of position, save that to bay three (from L) on the first floor, which is bricked-up; plain modern casements of stained wood, though that above the porch is steel-framed with frosted glass. The ground-floor windows have plain projecting slate-stone labels, that to the window L of the porch hacked off; rendered, projecting sills to the first-floor windows. Above the stringcourse between the second and (blocked) third windows of the first floor is an inset sandstone plaque with the inscribed initials M.K.E, together with the date 1703. The right-hand gable has two small first-floor windows, that to the L bricked-up, that to the R with plain glazing. Adjoining this gable is a low rubble addition with pitched, slated roof; modern boarded entrance to the farmyard side at L, with a large 2-pane modern window to the R, formerly a further entrance. The former farmyard elevation, now the entrance front, has an original small, square window to the ground floor, with ovolo-moulded sandstone jambs and a simple moulded label; plain modern glazing. To the R are two larger windows with modern casements occupying primary openings and labels as before, that to the R also hacked-off. Three windows to the first floor, with a further, blocked window to the L. That to the far R has an early C19 12-pane wooden casement, the remainder have modern glazing, as before. Adjoining to the R, and partly overlapping the primary range, is an early C19 single-storey brewhouse block, which projects to the SE, forming an L-plan with the house. Extruded in the angle between the house and this additional block is a large modern porch extension; of brick with shallow-pitched, slated roof. Within this is the original rear entrance, (now open) with, to its R, a 2-light, ovolo-moulded sandstone mullioned window. The brewhouse block is of limestone rubble with modern slate roof and squat brick chimney. Large window with segmentally-arched head and rough-dressed limestone voussoirs; modern glazing. Adjoining this is a small rectangular block, earlier than the brewhouse, and originally detached from the main house. This is of rubble with boulder foundations and a corrugated iron roof; segmentally-arched entrance to the L, as before, with a further, plain entrance to the R.  

The original internal arrangement has been altered, though there appears to have been a central stair/service bay with hall to its R and parlour to the L. Timber-framed partition wall exposed to ground-floor central room (now the kitchen), together with some relocated stopped-chamfered ceiling beams of C17 character. Modern fireplaces and cornicing to ground floor chambers. Plain C19 staircase, the treads and risers of which are said to be early (information from the owner), though these were carpeted-over at the time of inspection. If they are indeed early, it is possible that this is the surviving flight of the primary dog-leg stair, with its balusters and handrail removed and the upper flight lost.  

Listed for its special interest as a dated example of a good early C18 brick farmhouse.