3149

 

II  

Designated  

17/11/1987  

03/02/2003  

Glyn Bran Farmhouse  

 

Torfaen  

Upper Cwmbran  

Cwmbran  

Upper Cwmbran  

327391  

196980  

 

Situated on the E side of Mountain Road approximately 100m N of the junction with Upper Cwmbran Road.  

Domestic  

 

Earlier C17 farmhouse altered in C18, with 1774 date on one roof truss. The raised cruck truss suggests a late C16 to early C17 date, the steep oak collar trusses look later, though more early C18 than date inscribed. Squared stonework in front left gable and left gable end perhaps indicates a rebuilding in the C18 at that end. Much renovated with added rear wing and conservatory since 1987 listing. In 1987 the listing mentions back-to-back inner rooms with passages under massive chamfered beam (on line of original gable?) and massive chimney breast to kitchen. These rooms presumably now joined in one large kitchen and all detail C20. Fox & Raglan in 1951-4 note the extensive penthouses (pentices) then complete on S front, already gone on rear. They also note a diamond-mullion window in hall, broad well-lit stair and well-lit closet by fireplace.  

Farmhouse, whitewashed rubble stone with imitation stone tiles to roofs and whitewashed stone end stacks, with weathercoursing. One and a half storeys, long front range with large gable to left of squared rubble stone. Gable has apex square chimney and weathercourses above and below attic casement-pair window, both courses clad in lead in late C20. Ground floor has centre French window and casement pair to left. Two renewed oak brackets for pentice over door and a third to right. Further right, another ground floor casement pair with oak lintel. Two larger casement pairs (the right one possibly a former door) with timber lintels, under 3 cut-off beam ends and 2 surviving beams of former pentice. Eaves dormer above first of the two windows with casement pair and timber lintel. To furthest right is a small ground floor casement pair. C20 stone seat along front wall, front wall appears to be battered out where visible at extreme right, but not at left,. Six steep stone stairs down at extreme left to arched doorway into stone vaulted basement room. Right end wall has added conservatory. with curve of former bread oven visible, casement pair to first floor right and diamond-mullioned oak window to right. Rear wall left has battered base, 6 cut-off ends of another pentice over C20 oak 4-light diamond-mullioned window. C20 stone rear wing to right with reused oak-plank entrance door in angle to main range. Left end gable of main range has rounded bread-oven projection. carried on corbels. Walling of squared rubble stone like S front gable. Two raised bands in gable.  

Two-room plan with kitchen to W and hall to E. Kitchen has 5 C20 beams and C20 fireplace. There was a dividing wall to W of French window under a massive beam all now gone. Good C17 post and panel partition between rooms with segmental-arched heads to plank doors and chamfered and stopped surrounds to panels. Beam above with stepped ogee stops (Wernhir type). Hall has further 5 similar beams, the last over fireplace with oak lintel. Lintel has small triangular recess inset. Winding stair to left of fireplace with 3 oak bottom steps. Doorway to right of fireplace into former closet. C20 stairs in added rear wing. Loft has one large raised cruck truss to centre, with pegged yoke, oak collar truss to E and 2 to W, the westernmost one dated 1774 on front wall foot.  

Included as a substantial vernacular farmhouse of the C17 and C18 with good surviving partition, beams and roof trusses.