Gilfach-y-Berthog is a late seventeenth century, stone-built, two and a half storey, end-chimney, minor Gentry house of 'T' shape plan. It consists of a central entry and passage with flanking main rooms and open well stair in rear wing, which has earlier ceiling-beams to kitchen. The parlour retains a finely plastered ceiling, a fireplace with pillasters to an overmantel and a 1692 date inscription within oval strapwork. This strap-work is echoed in a similar vein in the external stucco decoration. The room over the parlour has a high quality plaster moulded chimney piece with ionic columns of same period. The first-floor front rooms retain original 2-light timber mullion and transom windows. They have 'ogee' internal mouldings, formerly with leaded glazing. There are some simple 2-light windows at landing in rear wing.

The open-well stair rises to the attic with attractive barley twist balusters, square newels, moulded hand-rail and string. The front trusses have one absent purlin spaced in a way that indicates there were three gabled dormers to the front elevation. All the details are of similar date and the notch lapped collar-truss roof has butt-tennon purlins to the front and rear, which tends to confirm that the building was built or re-built in the late seventeenth century. However, the rear wing trusses have only two side-purlins, while the front has three with the central one removed where there was a gabled dormer. The lower purlin is set square with nailed rafters, while the other angled purlins have rafters tennoned into them. The rafters are morticed at the apex and there is no ridge-purlin.

This building can be compared to Neuadd-Fawr Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire (NPRN 17597), which is of similar plan and period.


Associated with: late seventeenth century or later barn (NPRN 31600)
early nineteenth century stable (NPRN 31601)

Geoff Ward, RCAHMW, 11 September 2002.