MG340

Ty Ucha Farmstead, Cwm Llech, Llangynog, Powys  

31/08/2012  

Designated  

Powys  

Llangynog  

302826  

324992  

Domestic  

House (domestic)  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. Ty-Ucha is a ruinous, multi-period stone farmhouse of probable medieval origin, retaining a number of interesting vernacular architectural details of the 17th century and associated with the remains of a farm complex comprising several other platform based structures and enclosures. The farmstead occupies a steep E-W slope high on the eastern side of Cwm Llech with fine views along the valley to the E and S. The house (Item A) is set upon a massively revetted earthwork platform, built parallel with the contour of the slope and probably surviving from a late medieval predecessor. The bulk of the existing slate-walled structure of one and a half storeys dates from a mid 17th century reconstruction as a lobby-entry house typical of the region. This was rectangular in plan and divided into two ground floor rooms. A rebate for a framed partition, now lost, but recorded in the 1930s survives in the S wall. This separated the kitchen or hall to the W from a parlour wing to the E. Both rooms contain massive chimneypieces which form the dominant feature of the ruins, incorporating rough limestone quoins and distinctive drip courses at stack level. That in the parlour was freestanding whilst the kitchen fireplace has been modified at a later date by the insertion of a bread oven. The N wall has largely collapsed, as has the upper part of the E gable but the S and W walls are largely intact. The surviving walls are pierced by the remains of several wooden-framed windows with rectangular mullions, rebates for glazing and external slate hood moulds. A complete row of nesting holes, minus its lintels runs the length of the southern wall head. Substantial slate stops or ‘kneelers' survive at the base of both gables. The collapse of the attic level of the E gable has largely destroyed a former upper window, formerly carrying a date stone reading CR 1665 referring to the poet Cadwaladr Roberts who was associated with the house. At a later date, probably in the 19th century, a cow-house, now ruinous, was added to the N, unusually located at the upper end of the house. Across the present track to the S is a long range of ruined single storey agricultural outbuildings (Item B) set upon a less pronounced E-W terrace. That in the centre was fully walled, the two end units being open to the north. A tumbled stone field wall defines the paddock in which the buildings stand. The house and outbuildings are depicted as intact and in use in an oil anonymous 19th century oil painting, the outbuildings being characteristically clad with horizontal timbers. The monument is of national importance as a good example of a post-medieval farmstead with earlier origins, the house itself being of some architectural pretension and retaining several distinctive vernacular features in its windows, chimney stacks, nesting holes and platform base. It has the potential to enhance our knowledge of the development of agriculture, subsistence and rural domestic life in NE Wales. The lack of later alterations raises the likelihood of well-preserved buried floor levels and domestic deposits in comparison to continuously occupied structures. It is associated with a regionally significant historical figure and is documented in a 19th century oil painting and 1934 journal article. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and the area around them within which related deposits may be expected to survive. It is irregular in shape and measures 40x40m with an area of 0.14ha.