6789

 

II*  

Designated  

17/01/1963  

27/05/2005  

Aberbran Fawr  

 

Powys  

Trallong  

Brecon  

Aberbran  

298878  

228947  

 

Some 250m S of Aberbran Bridge over the River Usk.  

Domestic  

 

Farmhouse, C16 and C18, part of demolished mansion of the Games family. John Games of Aberbran was High Sheriff in 1559, William Games in 1562, 1569 and 1576. From C17 owned by a branch of the Williams family of Abercamlais, united with the Abercamlais estate after 1861. Marked on 1838 Tithe map as owned by Robert Williams, occupied by Rees Powell, with 269 acres (109 hectares). The back wall and W end of the W half are all that remains of a wing to a demolished large L-plan C16 house of which some fragments of wall and carved stonework survive of the main range which was at right angles to W. The demolished part had a hall with lateral fireplace and an unheated upper end, from which was access to the present house, which seems to have been a secondary independent hall also with lateral fireplace. The N front wall and the E half are C18, a 1749 date is added to the big C16 fireplace, and good C18 cupboards. Traces of C18 painted decoration were found on the fireplace lintel.  

Farmhouse, former gentry house, rubble stone mostly roughcast, with stone-tile and slate roofs. Two storeys, two parts. The older and longer part to W. This has a massive double lateral chimney on the rear S wall, the left chimney with raised chimneybreast, the right one rising from the wall edge, the main shafts linked but the top stacks separated. The windowless W end has a ground floor blocked late medieval depressed-arched door. The N front is pebbledashed with widely separated windows and close eaves. One 4-pane sash to first floor left, a 12-pane sash each floor to right, and door with overlight to right of centre, blank window over. Straight joint to C18 shorter range to E. Colour-washed rubble with slate roof of steeper roof pitch. C18 stone end stacks, the right one larger. Two window range, two first floor C20 windows with timber lintels. Ground floor has two doors, the left one formerly a window, the right one in an oak frame, board door with wrought iron hinges, and overlight. E end wall has attic window. Two gabled low rear wings, both of rubble stone, the rear wall between them with two C20 upper windows, two lower windows one C20, one louvred for ventilation. Wing to W has W side boarded door to left, and dripstone of blocked opening to right; S end loft window with oak lintel and dripstone, and E side oak lintel to 9-pane window to right, overgrown window to left. Wing to E has boarded window with top lights on E wall. The rear of the older range has one bay to left of the big chimneys and two to the right, and the roof slope retains stone tiles. The bay to left has a 4-pane sash over an inserted 12-pane sash with concrete sill. The two bays to right have 12-pane sashes each floor, the left ones with stone sills. A spur wall attached to the NW corner has a four-centre arched doorway, possibly to a former cross-passage.  

Interior plan is altered in C18. Entrance to E end room of E range (former cider room), partition to W kitchen. Three big beams in the two rooms. Passage through to main house to S of big chimneybreast. Broad enclosed stairs to S, between passage and rear wing. The main range is divided into three, 6 bays overall. E room has big E chimney with cambered-headed fireplace and fine C18 arched alcove, with moulded arched surround, keystone and shaped shelves. The middle room is spilt between a S side parlour and narrow N entrance hall. Parlour has C18 fielded panelling and good timber chimney-piece with corniced shelf and overmantel raised panel between fluted pilasters with cornice broken forward above. Panel is square with an inset octagonal panel, the diagonal sides concave, and 4-petal flowers in outer corners. Delft tiles in fireplace. Fine arched corner cupboard similar to alcove in E room, with fielded panelled doors, shaped heads. Eight panel fielded panel doors to E and W. W end room has two chamfered beams and another C18 arched cupboard with keystone and fielded panelled doors. S wall has fine C16 very large fireplace with grey stone square-headed surround with date 1749. Fireplace jambs are ovolo and wave moulded. Fielded panelled shutters. First floor has a long corridor along N front and altered rooms.  

Included at II* for its exceptional historic interest as a C16 to C18 house with massive surviving C16 chimney and fine internal features.