Bryn-y-Gwin Uchaf

Bryn-y-Gwin Uchaf is a complex house of several building phases, chiefly early 19th century but incorporating 17th century origins and 18th century work. The building is L-shaped. The earliest part is the south wing, built partly into the hillside, which is linked to the main house by a mid-19th century block. This mid-19th century block replaced an earlier range and occupies the site of the 18th century house, which originally ran at right angles across the slope. A later wing dating to around 1802 was built facing west. The house is constructed of coursed rubble masonry with moderately pitched slate roofs, oversailing eaves with deep verges, and stone stacks.

The present entrance front faces east. A 17th century block appears to the left. This left portion is single storey with a central chimney inserted in the 19th century and a louvre. A raking porch is carried out on timber brackets to the left, with a plank door. A former pigsty adjoins to the left. Two 2-light small-paned casement windows are set below the eaves to the right. The right portion is 2 storey, stepped up, with a 1-window bay. A small-paned 2-light casement window sits under the eaves above a part-glazed door with internal panelled shutters and a rustic porch. The mid-19th century wing steps up further to the right, with a stone stack. A canted oriel window to the first floor left is transomed with a 2-light central casement and narrow side lights. Similar 2-storey canted bay windows appear to the right. A Victorian sash window is positioned at ground floor left. A 12-pane sash occupies the centre. A small attic window to the left sits on the gable end of the 18th century house, with a stone stack.

The north front features two Victorian canted oriel windows flanking a central 2-light round-arched casement window to the first floor. A raking dormer set wholly in the roof appears to the right, with slate-hung cheeks and a 4-paned window. A rustic verandah on timber posts with a slate roof is returned partly to the east and west elevations. The central part has a glazed door flanked by 3-light, small-paned casements with pointed heads; a cellar window sits below to the right.

The west elevation displays a truncated open pediment cornice of around 1805. A stone stack stands to the left with a false stack to the right, and a string course runs across. A central canted oriel window features 2-light casements with side lights. Hipped slate hoods on timber brackets overhang the flanking windows, with a blind to the left. Two-light casements appear to the right above a blind box. A verandah covers the ground floor. A blind window sits to the left, with three deep 2-light small-paned casements offset to the right. A lateral stack returns to the rear elevation.

Interior features begin with a broad entrance passage. The 17th century block to the south has been archaicized into an open hall with an inserted cross wall. A 17th century collared truss with arch braces and struts was added in the 19th century. An original fireplace with a bressumer appears in the room beyond the cross wall, alongside a timber spiral stair. Service rooms in the linking block retain late Georgian fitted cupboards and a chimneypiece.

The lounge contains a Gothic chimneypiece bearing a plaster relief of cherubs disporting with a dolphin, with an egg-and-dart surround. A built-in cupboard utilizes parts of 16th century carving. A heavy ceiling cornice runs overhead. The parlour features an early to mid-18th century chimneypiece with a shouldered surround and corniced mantelpiece. Below is a cellar with stop-chamfered beams and a small storeroom with plank-and-muntin partitions. The drawing room has a Regency plasterwork cornice. A staircase dating to around 1840 features alternating bobbin and barley twist balusters, square newels, strapwork, pendants, and a toadback handrail. Transverse stop-chamfered ceiling beams run across the first floor.

An early-19th century picturesque Gothic room (probably by Hugh Reveley) occupies the space over the drawing room. It features Gothic tracery to doors and window shutters. A chimneypiece displays figures of a knight and a nude maiden, with tracery and finials. The ceiling has a curious cusped profile with grained false hammer beams and carved bosses. Collared trusses and original chamfered purlins support the roof.