22212

 

II  

Designated  

27/08/1999  

27/08/1999  

Cil-yr-ychen Farmhouse  

 

Carmarthenshire  

Llandybie  

Ammanford  

Cil-yr-ychen  

261526  

217134  

 

To the north side of a lane between Derwydd Mansion and Cilyrychen Industrial Estate.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

The farmhouse carries the date 1762 on its main range. It is clear from the roof construction that the north and south wings are of later date than the main range running east-west. Cil-yr-ychen was a farm on the Dynefor estate from c1550. In 1735 the tenant was John Owen: Owen profited from the exploitation of the limestone on the estate, and rose in the world; his son went to Oxford and became vicar of Llandeilo. It may be the same John Owen who rebuilt the farmhouse: the stone with the date also carries the name 'Jn Owens'. Later tenants were the Thomas family. In the Tithe Survey (1840) the farm was shown tenanted by David Thomas. This family also prospered, and one David Thomas was also educated at Oxford and became vicar of Margam in 1856. The house at first was a conventional Carmarthenshire farmhouse of two large units with the entrance and stairs between; when enlarged by the additions of the two wings the original stairs were removed and each wing contains its own staircase, that in the north wing also serving the original main range of the house. The stairs in the north wing were carried up to the roofspace of the house, which was used as a grain store.  

A fine vernacular farmhouse of 1½ storeys and of complex plan, in cream painted rubble masonry partly rendered, and with roof principally in slate and partly (the south slope of the main range) in local sandstone slabs. The principal range of the farmhouse runs east-west, and consists of two-units with entrance and original stairs bay between. It faces north to a small walled yard and to the farmyard. It has a fine large external chimney stack at the west gable, slightly tapering, with offsets; the stack above roof level smooth rendered. At the south gable is the projection of a lost smaller chimney To this core two wings have been added: at rear is a gabled low wide single-storey and loft kitchen extension, attached to the east bay of the main range but overlapping the centre, approximately forming an L with the main range. This wing includes an end chimney of which the external stack has been lost. This wing is probably truncated; a low roofed shed at its gable end may be a remnant of the further bay. At the front (north) a full-height north-west two-bay wing has been added to the right unit, also forming an L plan with the main range. This front wing has a large end-chimney set to the right of the gable with a large right side offset blended with the roof. The gable and chimney are smooth-rendered. The north elevation of the main range and the east elevation of the latter wing have been re-worked in the C19 giving each two similar through-eaves gabled dormer sash windows of four panes. In the main range beneath these are a 12-pane exposed-sash window with stone lintel and sill at left and a modern doorway in neo-Georgian style at right. Date-stone between at first floor level. The adjacent east-facing elevation of the front wing has a boarded door with stone lintel beneath the right dormer. The gable elevation of the latter wing has a small window in the chimney at upper storey level and to left of the chimney at ground storey, both modern. West elevation: door and window in north-west wing, one ground-storey window left of chimney and one upper window right of chimney in main range gable. South elevation: one four-pane sash window above, one larger below, in rear of main range. Slight buttress at left corner. The gable end of the south wing shows much repair or rebuilding and the marks of a lost further bay with a slightly lower roof. Small walled courtyard at north-east of house with low stone wall, gate to north and steps down to east; stone and slate shed at corner with heck door. Gabled shed extension at east gable end of main range also, with local sandstone roofing tiles.  

Three large chimneys, all open when seen (1999); the one at the west end of the main range has a replaced bressummer. Staircase in north extension rises to the loft of the main range and wing. Grain loft in attic: timber strips covering the joints in the floorboards. Low division at centre of the main range.  

A good dated vernacular farmhouse fully retaining its character, with loft grainstore.