1. 16-17th century no details. Large lateral chimney.

Former medieval home of the Gwynn family, which became a Coaching Inn by the late-C18th/ early-C19th. Retains some
medieval details to east-range with good C17th and later details elsewhere.
G A Ward, Visited, 03/06/1999.

2. Neuadd (or Camden House) is situated on the South side of the A40 in the centre of Trecastle. This former home of the Gwynn family was noted by Theophylus Jones in History of Brecon, Vol. 3, 1805, as "now converted into an Inn, lately called the White Heart, and now called the Camden Arms". The present appearance is of an 18/19th century Coaching house. However there are 17th century ceiling-beams to the hall and cellar (under parlour) with a medieval stone doorway in the North-South orientated East-range. By the late 17th century the stone built structure was of a U- shape plan with the road front containing a hall, flanked by the projecting North-South East-range and a West range with a parlour to the front and kitchen at the rear. The entrance was in the hall front with the staircase opposite, against the projecting East-range containing a parlour. In the 19th century the plan became a rectangular block, when the wings were in-filled and services added to the West side. At this time the entry was moved to the centre of the hall front wall and the wider splayed opening windows were replaced by narrower, taller, sashes with flat brick arches and brick surrounds. The 3-light sashes to the dining-room/parlour and the servants parlour relate to the mid 19th century West services addition. The house has wide projecting-eaves, the main facades are rendered and have moulded drip-stones to the early 19th century chimneys. The present hall has a central entry almost opposite the lateral fireplace and contains access to all rooms and staircase. It has two broad chamfered transverse ceiling-beams, which have ogee stops and plain joists. A dining-room/parlour to the west of the hall has a central ceiling-beam with moulded plaster surround forming a 2-panel ceiling. The roof over the wings is of c.1800 king-post tie-beam trusses, with similar later trusses over the west addition and in-filled U- plan, while the part over the hall is of much altered tie-beam trusses. It appears that the east-wing contains medieval remains of a possible cross-passage to a hall-house situated down-the-slope. This was then expanded in the 17th century with the hall parlour range and kitchen added to form a U-shape plan.
(Source: NMR Site files, GA Ward, 3 June 1999)
Ian Archer, RCAHMW, 2 February 2005

Associated with: coachhouse & stable yard (NPRN 31232)