History

Ty-mawr is possibly of the C15. It appears to have been originally a hall house (a reconstruction of the plan is published by Smith). There is evidence of an original cross passage to the west (left) of the inserted axial chimney, and a hall dais end may explain some of the features of the east (right) end of the present central unit.

The house was altered to its present basic form in c.1600, with the insertion of an upper floor and a chimney, when it conformed to the lobby-entrance three-unit type. The Royal Commission speculates that the outer room was at first a byre, but makes much of the difficulty of the rear doorway of the outer unit (now a window position) being used by animals, so close to a steep bank; it notes furthermore that it was typical in north-east Wales for an earlier cross passage, as at Ty-mawr, to become part of the outer room instead of becoming part of the hall or remaining as a passage when the chimney was inserted. At some period the outer unit has been separately occupied, or its loft segregated for farm servants, as it now has separate stairs.

In 1849 Ty-mawr was recorded as the farmhouse of a farm of about 132 acres.

Exterior

A large box-framed farmhouse of 1½ storeys and three units facing south to the farmyard, in substantial undecorated square-panel timber framing, painted black and white, with graded slate roof and tile ridge. The left (west) gable wall has been clad in stonework, but the timber framing is believed to survive behind the cladding. Left of centre is a large chimney of two stone shafts, with face ribs to the stonework and brick heightening, which has been restored (formerly taller than now). Small modern porch at the main door opposite this chimney. There is an informally constructed open-fronted brick-sided single-storey lean-to fronting the east bay, with smaller lean-to additions at its right. Two three-light casement windows cutting into the timber-framing. Three early C17 dormers elevation with decorative V braces and a small rooflight to the front. Three small rear windows within framing panels and two small rooflights at rear.

Early doorways to the cross-passage at the left of the main chimney position are detectable at front and at rear: that at rear retains a segmentally shaped head-beam.

Interior

Three units with back-to-back chimneys between the middle and west units; the east unit consists of two rooms. The east and middle units are separated by a post and panel partition and a similar partition until recently separated the two rooms of the east unit longitudinally.

The upper floors above the middle (hall) unit and the west unit are supported by dual longitudinal beams, chamfered, with tongue-stops. There is also a transverse beam similarly decorated supporting the longitudinal beams at the right (east) of the middle unit. Between the left and centre units is a massive axial chimney, with a wide hearth and bressummer to the hall (middle unit). On the west side of this chimney there was formerly a large hearth, part of the bressummer of which, carved with the image of a horse, is visible in the adjacent corridor to the north of the chimney.

The house has a staircase against the north wall opposite the main chimney; alterations here have produced a corridor between the stairs and the hearth, and a second flight of stairs in the left (west) unit rising head-to-head with the main stairs.

Reasons for Listing

A late mediaeval timber-framed farmhouse which has retained much of its character.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29503825

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)