Timber-framed building to the rear of Bwthyn Bach

Timber-framed building to the rear of Bwthyn Bach

This timber-framed building, probably dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, was remodelled as a cottage in the later 17th century, converted to a doctor's surgery around 1953, and is now disused as of 2022.

The building stands on a shallow brick plinth, cement-rendered, with timber-framing above also cement-rendered. The roof is half-hipped and thatched with overhanging eaves and a brick ridge stack. The rectangular plan is aligned north-east to south-west.

The building comprises a single storey with a later 17th-century attic floor inserted in the east bay. The south-facing principal elevation has two bays, each with two-light casements and a wooden door with central glazed panel at the left-hand end. The rear elevation has identical fenestration with an additional narrow casement window offset to the right. The west gable end is blind. The east gable end has a two-light casement serving the attic. All windows are metal-framed with diamond-leaded lights, and the door and windows date from the 1953 conversion to a doctor's surgery.

Internally, the original post and truss structure is exposed throughout. The frame comprises two bays with jowled wall posts and three principal rafter roof trusses with waney-edged common rafters between. Double-pegged tension braces rise from the wall posts to the original tie beam and wall plates in the west bay, including the north side of the central cross wall, and to a secondary tie beam and wall plates inserted below the originals in the east bay when it was ceiled in the later 17th century. Most braces are waney-edged and slightly curved, except two straight members at the gable ends, probably later replacements. The central wall post on the south side supports only a single brace rising to the secondary wall plate in the east bay. Sill beams survive at the east and west ends and on most of the north side; the east bay's sill shows evidence of later replacement, as does a section on the south side of the west bay, which retains no original timber-framing. Studding between the posts is widely spaced, single-pegged at top and bottom with some intermediary studs at the east end. Infill consists mainly of wattle and daub with some cement on the north side of the west bay.

The west bay, now open to the roof following removal of its mid-20th-century attic floor, features a later 17th-century painted brick stack on its east side with its hearth opening reduced around 1953. A modern stud wall with a two-light casement window on the north side forms a small annexe containing a WC. Two studs on the west side retain holes for pegs or supports for shelving.

The east bay has a later 17th-century ceiling with a chamfered axial beam supported by a timber post on the east side and a brick pier (later reinforced with a timber post) on the west side. Tenoned into the beam are cambered ceiling joists with small timber pieces inserted between joists and ceiling due to later structural movement. An enclosed staircase in the north-east corner has a boarded and ledged door and a winder stair with plank treads and risers.

The attic room above the east bay has exposed framing throughout, including original wall plates and tie beam, with wide floorboards. The roof pitches consist of exposed waney-edged rafters to a high level, with the remainder underdrawn above common rafter couples. Infill between rafters is mainly wattle and plaster. A narrow galley or mezzanine with a handrail made from reused timber runs along the north side of the west bay.