7556

 

II  

Designated  

10/03/1953  

25/04/1997  

Highgate  

 

Powys  

Bettws  

 

Highgate  

311128  

295342  

 

Located approximately 1.9km SW of Bettws Cedewain church on E side of minor road from Tregynon to Newtown, immediately N of junction with a minor road to Pontyperchill.  

Domestic  

 

The house appears to be a single build, probably mid-late C17. The original form of the house has been retained although later alterations included the replacement of much of the external timber frame (probably in the C19).  

Two-storey house with attics, consisting of 2 wings joined by a short entrance range. Mostly of brick painted black and white but substantial timber framing survives, which is a combination of square panels and close studding with largely renewed infill. Slate roof with axial brick stack on each wing, both partly renewed. The entrance range has an added single storey lean-to to front with C20 iron-frame window in upper storey. The W wing to R is timber framed with close studding in the lower storey, and a jettied upper storey of square panels carried on moulded brackets. Its ornate gable end consists of a jettied tie beam on ornate brackets, and quatrefoils in the gable. Three-light window in the ground floor and 2-light window in upper storey have moulded wooden sills on brackets. The E wing is brick painted black and white (and with some weatherboarding on the side walls), but with a timber framed gable in small panels with painted quatrefoils. Its fenestration is similar to W wing. The rear elevation is of brick, although the gables of its outer bays are timber framed with small square panels. It has a centrally placed ledged and battened door flanked by 2-light windows, and large 3-light metal-framed windows above the doorway and in upper and lower storeys of the outer bays. The gables have similar 2-light windows.  

Plan form comprises 2 principal rooms in each of the outer cross wings, and a subdivided entrance range, with main staircase set to one side. Principal rooms have back-to-back fireplaces in the two massive axial stacks, and those in the west wing (originally the higher status room) retain moulded and chamfered bressummers. Stop-chamfered ceiling beams throughout. External wall-framing of west wing exposed in principal rooms to first floor: square panelled framing with passing braces; there is a short length of moulded and scribed post and panel partition between these two rooms. Main dog-leg staircase has thin splat balusters.  

Listed as a good example of the C17 timber-framed tradition in Montgomeryshire, the plan form of which anticipates the double-pile Renaissance house.