History

C18 lobby-entrance house, the outer walls constructed of stone but with timber-framed internal partitions. It was originally 2-unit with an end chimney, but a 3rd unit was added to the L of the lobby-entrance later. An old photograph shows the house in 1893: subsequent alterations, probably of the early C20, included the addition of a porch and dormers and replacement of the small-pane casement windows. Contemporary farm range to downhill end; small late-C20 range to L end at right angles.

Crowlum had an important religious function as it was a Sunday School from the 1770s and is said to have been the earliest one in Wales. Non-conformity became popular in this area as it was not well served by the established church; this Sunday School was probably connected with Methodist preaching circuits.

Exterior

Three-window lobby-entrance house of one-and-a-half storeys, constructed of white-washed random stone under a slate roof with tile cresting, with rendered stone ridge stack to L of centre and rendered end stack to L. A butt joint shows that the L unit was added later. Gabled timber porch with slate roof to L of centre, the sides weather-boarded with 3 pointed arches above, containing a small-pane window to centre and trellis-work. Double panelled half-glazed doors with margin glazing to front; gable with straight and curved timber struts. The windows are plain-glazed wooden casements with transoms and a row of small panes above, 2-light to L of porch and to far R, and 3-light to R of porch. Gabled half-dormers aligned above, with decorative barge boards and diagonal struts, containing the same windows as below. High battered plinth to rear elevation; small 2-light casement window with small panes to L. To the R is a C20 single light, above which is a small 2-light small-pane casement. Skylight towards centre of roof-pitch. Against the W gable end and projecting from the front elevation is a narrow single-storey stone range of the late C20 with wooden boarded doors and casement windows.

Adjoining farm range to E, with lower roof-line. The walls are of white-washed rubble stone below, and renewed weather-boarding above, all under a slate roof. Split doors to centre and R, large double planked doors to L. Planked loft hatch to R of centre, and 2 skylights to roof pitch. The rear is of random stone with a central catslide lean-to containing a small single light. Planked door to R of elevation; skylight to roof pitch. To the E gable is a planked loft hatch.

Interior

The hall is to the R of the lobby-entrance; fireplace with large cambered timber lintel; ceiling with 2 shallow-chamfered spine beams and plain joists. Box-panelled partition opposite fireplace with 2 doorways leading to the inner rooms, themselves divided by a box-panelled partition with wattle infill. The larger room to the front was the parlour, with dairy to rear. C20 timber staircase to R of fireplace reached through a boarded door, probably in general location of original staircase. The outer room, to the L of the lobby-entrance, is slightly later and has one spine beam, possibly replaced, and plain joists to the ceiling. Small fireplace with timber lintel. Boarded doors throughout. Upstairs, box-framed partitions and tie-beam trusses.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a good regional C18 farmhouse, with coherent early C20 embellishment, which exhibits the transition to stone construction whist retaining the lobby-entrance plan-form.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29505800

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

• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)