22169

 

II  

Designated  

23/08/1999  

30/09/1999  

Bodfan Farmhouse  

 

Gwynedd  

Llandwrog  

Caernarfon  

Llandwrog  

244191  

355571  

 

Situated in low-lying pastoral landscape approximately 1km south-west of Llandwrog and 700m east of the sea at the end of a driveway running off the minor road from Dinas Dinlle to the A 499; walled garden/orchard area to south-east.  

Domestic  

 

The earliest part of the building, on the west, appears to date to the C17 and is now linked by a small internal courtyard, formed by a short range of buildings of uncertain date on the north and a screen wall on the south, to the main house. This is of 2 near-contemporary but distinct phases, the northern range being built c1800 and the southern section shortly afterwards. The earliest part of the building may be identifiable with the inventory made after the death of William Lloyd "Esquire" in 1682 but the building referred to therein is clearly more extensive than the surviving C17 structure and parts may have been demolished or more probably are embedded in the main house. The dwelling referred to in the inventory was clearly of some status and the sum total of Lloyd's household goods (together with his livestock) amounted to £138 14s 2d (£138.71p). Single-storey building attached to south gable end of west range is a C19 hen house. The grouping of dwellings at Bodfan may be indicative of a possible 'unit' system of property development, in which several households (of the same family) were accommodated on one site.  

West range of roughly coursed rubblestone with buttered pointing; slate roof has integral end stacks with slate drips and C17 red brick shafts. Ground floor of west elevation has blocked window lighting cellar (approached by doorway in north gable end) to left and plank door offset to right, to right of which is a fixed-light multi-paned window and a small staircase window to south-west corner. Between the cellar window and door an external flight of C19 stone steps leads to a C19 raking eaves dormer containing 2 plank doors. East elevation within internal courtyard, entered through doorway in screen wall, retains original 2-light wooden mullion window among its fenestration. Lower rubblestone and slate-roofed hen house attached to south gable end has twin 9-paned windows with slate lintels in ground floor of gable end. Main house of roughly coursed rubblestone, rendered to south and east sides, under slate roof. North range has symmetrical 3-bay elevation to east with end stacks, the left at junction with south range, windows all 16-paned sashes with slate cills; central half-glazed door with raised and fielded lower panels and rectangular overlight. West side has sash windows on each floor to internal courtyard and gabled chimney/staircase projection to north. South range has symmetrical south elevation with 2 late C20 windows on each floor and cellar beneath; integral end stacks.  

Only partial inspection possible at time of Survey, being confined to earlier and unoccupied part of building, the 2-storey structure on the west. This has stop-chamfered ceiling beams and large fireplace to south end, beside which are the successive remains of a winder staircase and bread oven; coppers within the fireplace itself; slate floor. North range of main house is said to retain an elaborate late C17 or early C18 pilastered fireplace surround and overmantel, apparently reused, on the first floor; the surround is bolection moulded, there are 2 enriched entablatures and in the top stage of the overmantel a darkened oil painting on a raised timber panel depicting an unidentified rural scene. Dog-leg staircase in central hallway of north range. Cellars beneath the C17 west range and the south range.  

The complex planning and development sequence of this building may be indicative of unit planning accommodating several households (of the same family) on one site. The C17 range retains much of its original character, whilst the C19 building or rebuilding retains detail in characteristic early Georgian style.