87675

 

II  

Designated  

20/11/2014  

 

Coed-y-Bleiddiau  

 

Gwynedd  

Maentwrog  

 

Tan-y-Bwlch  

266434  

341757  

 

In an isolated hillside location set within a walled enclosure on the north side of the Ffestiniog Railway line, approximately 950m NNE of Tan-y-Bwlch reached via a footpath through Coed Ty-Coch.  

Domestic  

Modern  

Constructed 1863 for the Ffestiniog Railway by John Evans, builder, as accomodation for the line superintendent T Henry Hovenden. It was one of two cottages built in the area for the railway (the other being north of Moelwyn tunnel, later demolished to make way for Tan Y Grisiau reservoir) for a price of £340 in a 'workman like manner according to the plans and specifications to the entire satisfaction of CE Spooner Esquire..). James Spooner was the engineer responsible for the construction of the railway for the Ffestiniog Railway Company to transport slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Portmadog. His son, Charles Easton, took control of the railway in 1856 and improved it for steam locomotives which began running in 1863. Originally constructed as a small 2 unit single storey cottage with a 2 storey wing attached to the rear and a separate Ty Bach at right angles behind. Two rear extensions were later added to the side and rear, probably during the later 19th Century, enclosing the foot print and joining the cottage to the Ty Bach. By 1913 the cottage was rented as a holiday let to JW Sudbury, a bank manager from Birmingham and by 1922 the lease had passed to the composer Sir Granville Ransome Bantock, Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The last tenants in the cottage were Mr and Mrs B Johnson who rented the cottage from 1951 until 2006. The wooded area surrounding the cottage has in the past been exploited for its richness of Sphagnum moss gathered, probably at some point by Mrs and Mrs Johnson and transported by train for medical use in Liverpool. The cottage was vacant at the time of inspection, February 2014.  

Cottage, single storey 2-bay main range with 2 storey wing to rear. Built from random stone with hipped slate roof to main part with ribbed ridge and hips. Tall stone stacks. Deep overhanging eaves with slate-lined soffits. Small pane sash windows. Main front facing railway with central timber porch and door with window either side. Left elevation with single window offset to left. Central rear wing with upper floor, probably contemporary with main front range. Left side has window and door to ground floor, window to upper floor, formerly glazed entrance extension demolished shortly before inspection. Further cat-slide extension to right, hipped extension to rear with additional hipped Ty Bach outbuilding at right angles. Gardens contain a memorial stone to Lillian Mary Jackman (6 December 1911 - 13 March 1995), sister of Mrs Johnson.  

Not inspected but said to retain central entrance lobby with single rooms either side and passage stair to rear.  

Included for its special architectural interest as a good example of a railway workers cottage, surviving relatively intact and for its historical importance with the foundation of the Ffestiniog railway.