2211

 

II  

Designated  

18/05/1995  

18/05/1995  

Cae'rwigau Uchaf  

 

Vale of Glamorgan  

Pendoylan  

 

Cae'rwigau  

306038  

175477  

 

Farmhouse set in open countryside to south of Pendoylan village upon a platformed site to the east of the Cae'rwigau moated site.  

Domestic  

 

Late Medieval origins. Extended in the C16th and late C17th. It appears likely that this property formed part of the Llewelyn manor, evidenced by the nearby Cae'rwigau moated site. The Llewelyn family were founded by Griffith Fawr, who according to G T Clark's work Limbus Patrum (London 1886) was the eighth descendant from Iestyn ap Gwrgan, the last Welsh Prince of Glamorgan, c.1300. It is documented that the nearby Cae'rwigau Isaf remained occupied by the Llewelyns in the C16th and it appears probable that this property formed part of the fragmented family estate.  

Two storeys with elevations of exposed local rubble stone, gabled, steeply pitched, slated roof, originally thatched, with four window range and lobby entrance at western end. One original stairlight opening to ground floor and three modern casement windows, with four over. The first floor windows break the eaves with modern gables and barge-boards. Three stacks of coursed rubble, one gable and two axial. Modern two storey range to the rear. Bays three, and to a lesser degree four, have externally battered walls, indicative of an early date of construction. Originally of one and a half storeys and comprising a single cell, late-Medieval dwelling.  

Three cells, each heated by a fire on the western wall entered by a doorway to the western end of the central cell. Surviving from the Medieval period is the main fireplace in the easternmost cell, with doorway on the southern side, together with part of a stone stair which rose over this entry. The stair was built originally within an outshut on the south wall with a lateral entry and a crossed-slab roof over, part of which remains at first floor level together with the upper treads of the stair and the first floor doorway. The fireplace is typically Medieval and shallow in depth, but has lost its original bressumer. There is a small beehive stone oven inside the north jamb. To the north of the fireplace is a small niche also in the north wall where a C17th framed cupboard remains in situ. The eastern cell would appear to be substantially late Medieval in date although extended eastwards in the C16th evidenced by the north wall which terminates in a straight joint which is battered at the base. In the south wall the lateral stone doorway with unchamfered jambs is blocked and a small window is inserted, whilst the west jamb of the hall window survives. At the upper end of the hall an inner room was constructed but the gable wall with bold internal batter appears to have been rebuilt. In the south side of the internal wall there is evidence of a doorway of uncertain date which was later blocked and a small splayed light was inserted. The gable contains two small niches flanking the former doorway. The roof truss over the upper unit is centrally placed over the hall and inner room and of Medieval date. The truss has a lightly cambered collar morticed into the principle rafters. The principle rafters are angled at the foot and rise from a wall plate inside the wall for approximately 1 metre. The principle rafters are morticed at the apex and supported two trenched purlins each side with a ridge beam. The purlins have been removed and some re-used in raising the roof. To the east of the Medieval hall in the late C17th a narrow kitchen was formed by the insertion of a large cross wall with fireplace beneath a stepped chimney. The fireplace retains a chamfered bressumer and oven inside the north jamb. The oven is fitted with a clay liner. A later large brick oven is built into the north of the fireplace cutting into the back of the brick oven. The first floor over the kitchen cell was originally accessed via the early stone stair but a later straight flight timber stair has been inserted in the kitchen. The roof over this cell is supported on two flat purlins either side with rough rafters designed for thatch. The western cell is probably a parlour, constructed 1800 (?). The entire west gable wall and south wall including the lobby entry to the kitchen unit date from this period. The west gable wall contains a small fireplace with a low timber bressumer and a narrow winding stone stair rising from the northwest corner and rising to the roof.  

Listed grade II as a good example of an early farmhouse indicating organic development from the Medieval period onwards, and as part of a locally important historic site.