A two storeyed house with cellar and attics, principally of the late 17th-century or earlier,1 but enlarged and modernised late in the 18th or early in the 19th century,2 and recently restored. The earlier walls are mainly of rubble where their surfaces are still exposed , but the rendering of the greater part of the older portions obscures evidence of structure and development. Additions of ca. 1800 or later can be distinguished, but any division of the earlier work into phases of construction can, in its existing state, be tentative only.

The main block (1-3) with its stair wing (7) forms a plan typical of the late 17th century; it has a roof characteristic of that period and contains a reset stair of ca. 1700. Its walls have a spreading base on the N . , E. and W., and may therefore be of one build despite variation in alignment on the W. (of 1 and 3); the S . wall (of 3) seems contemporary, as it is of equal thickness and squares better with the walls adjacent on the N. than with those on the S.; its two openings may once have been gable windows. The rooms next on the S. (4, 5) have no spreading base to the walls, which are relatively thin along the E. and W. sides, and (5) contains a large fireplace with brick facing that can hardly be earlier than the 17th century, the earliest datable brickwork in Lleyn being at Bodwrda (No. 1461) ca. 1620, the nearest at Bodfel (No. 1656) and Llannerch (No. 1657) also in the 17th century. If an extension rather than a remnant of earlier building, these rooms can be a little later than the main part as the roof is continuous and of old slates, small and thick like those to the N. though relaid recently on new trusses. The S.W. extension (8-IO), all the chimney stacks, and most of the fenestration on the E. front, date from ca. 1800. The W. annexe (II) and the upper floors of (6) are more recent. In the S.E. portion the S. wall (of 5) is faced externally in red brick such as has been used for the newer additions;3 tllls facing does not reach the rubble work of the gable. Internally, the large fireplace in this wall is lined in rubble below, in brick above including a domed oven in the W. jamb; the bressummer is stop-chamfered and straight, supported at the E. by a new rubble wal1. 4 The massive E. jamb may contain another oven or perhaps a winding stair to the first floor. The ceiling beam and joists exposed in this room (5) are stop-chamfered; but towards the E. end of the beam the stop is 15 ins. short of the wall, and the end rests on an ogee-shaped bracket of wood as if re-used. The room to the N. (4) has been ceiled level with the soffit of that beam, possibly concealing a similar beam. A small window on the W. of the S. room (5) remains as a cupboard recess in the adjacent room (IO). The openings to the E. match those along the rest of the E. front, which are uniformly modem, the windows having been enlarged presumably by heightening earlier embrasures. The only original embrasure remaining in the main N .E. block survives on the W. as a cupboard recess in the room (8) adjacent to (3); blocked on the E., it is of horizontal proportion on the W., splaying inwards. In this room (3) and in (1) the inner face of the E. wall has been replaced recently, 5 increasing the thickness by several inches compared with that at the entrance. The ceiling of (3) and of the entrance passage (2) is level with that of room (4), but along both sides of the passage (2) the partition-walls show a projecting member at the head; these projections remain visible for 11 ft. from the door, as far as the lower ceiling for the modern stair landing, and probably indicate the former presence of wooden partitions. In (I) the fireplace on the N. has been modernised and fitted with a classical surround; the wide recess in the W. wall is arched and closed at the back with brick; the ceiling beam is chamfered and plastered. On the first floor there is a chamfered ceiling beam still exposed in the room above (3) and there are some 18th-century doors; otherwise the arrangement and detail are modern. The cellar under the N.E. portion, chiefly beneath (3), is connected with the N.W. wing at semi-basement level through a passage beneath the entrance passage (2). It has a small bay on the E., now buried, which gave light and possibly alternative access, whence a culvert or drain leads to the S.E.6 In the N.W. wing, beside the modern stairs ascending from the ground floor, there is to the N. (of 7) a square well-staircase ascending from the semi-basement to the attics (Plate 54); this is of late 17th-century form, with closed string, square newels, shallow-moulded rail, flat fiddle-shaped balusters in the lower flights and square ones in the topmost. Now a back stairway, apparently it is not in situ. The floor over the semi-basement is on chamfered beam and joists; the partitions are of re-used timber, with some auger-holes. At the N.E. the door from (7) to (6), now blocked, is of the early 18th century, with fielded panels. Between ground- and first-floor level the well of the main staircase has offsets for the landing of a former stair, possibly that which has been reset to the N. At the foot of the well are stone steps leading down to the cellar passage. The N. room (6) has been faced with brick externally on the W. Formerly floored at the general ground level, as shown by a wall-plate remaining on the E. at the same level as the S.E. entrance (from 7), it has been refloored at a higher level. There is a continuous roof over the E. half of the house with cross ridge over the S. half of the N.W. wing (7); except for recent renewals over the S. portion, the trusses are of rough timber with pegged-on collars, probably not earlier than the late 17th century or much later than the mid-18th century. There are dormer windows on the E. From the S.E. portion and from the N.W. wing secondary doorways lead into the later extension (8, 9, 10), which is not unlike the earlier half in style, containing chamfered beams and timber-framed partitions filled with brick, but has a roof of bolted trusses that cannot be earlier than the end of the 18th century balusters in the lower flights and square ones in the topmost. Now a back stairway, apparently it is not in situ. The floor over the semi-basement is on chamfered beam and joists; the partitions are of re-used timber, with some auger-holes. At the N.E. the door from (7) to (6), now blocked, is of the early 18th century, with fielded panels. Between ground and first-floor level the well of the main staircase has offsets for the landing of a former stair, possibly that which has been reset to the N. At the foot of the well are stone steps leading down to the cellar passage. The N. room (6) has been faced with brick externally on the W. Formerly floored at the general ground level, as shown by a wall-plate remaining on the E. at the same level as the S.E. entrance (from 7), it has been refloored at a higher level. There is a continuous roof over the E. half of the house with cross ridge over the S. half of the N.W. wing (7); except for recent renewals over the S. portion, the trusses are of rough timber with pegged-on collars, probably not earlier than the late 17th century or much later than the mid-18th century. There are dormer windows on the E. From the S.E. portion and from the N.W. wing secondary doorways lead into the later extension (8, 9, 10),which is not unlike the earlier half in style, containing chamfered beams and timber-framed partitions filled with brick, but has a roof of bolted trusses that cannot be earlier than the end of the 18th century.

1 In 1602 it was held by t)’lC third generation from ‘Ll(y)w(ely)n y tyncoed Cefn Mehin’,N.L\V. Peniarth MS. 268d, £574 (Dwnn’s Heraldic Visitations); Griffith, Ped., p. 300. ‘Kevenmine’ as locality in 1640, N.L.W., Schedule of Bodfd Estates Deeds, n, No.3.
2 As residence of Richard Edwards, see Hyde Hall, p. 278; Griffith, Ped., pp. 161, 317.
3 Ex in! Mr. Herbert Frost, lately owner of the house and its restorer. Inserted by Mr. Frost, who discovered and opened up the fireplace.
5 By Mr. Frost, ex inJ. the present owner, Mr. J. D. Gardon.
6 As discovered by Mr. Gordon.
Condition: good.
SH33763615
23 vi 61
40NW