Rhiew Cottage

Rhiew Cottage is a timber-framed building forming part of a terrace, with origins probably dating to the 17th century but substantially remodelled in the later 19th century.

The building comprises several distinct sections. Rhiew House itself forms the south-eastern end of the terrace as a cross-wing. It has a slate roof and a street-facing jettied gable that is largely a mid-19th century reconstruction. The gable features a doorway to the left and a 3-light casement window (renewed) alongside it. A rectangular oriel window projects from the jettied gable, which is decorated with splat posts below the oriel and flanking quatrefoil panels. The main structural timberwork comprises a king-post over a collar with tension braces, enriched with scallop-work, and fretted bargeboards with a finial. The return elevation is framed in small panels with plastered infill and probably represents substantially the original structure. This elevation is divided into two principal bays by a full-height central post with a continuous middle rail to either side. An axial brick stack with octagonal shafts (typical of the Vaynor Estate) is present, though windows on this elevation have been inserted.

A short range running parallel to the street is probably contemporary with the cross-wing in origin, though heavily restored by the Vaynor Estate. It comprises two bays originally timber-framed. The lower storey was reconstructed in brick in the mid-19th century, painted in imitation of timber framing, while the jettied upper storey retains some structural timberwork but is also mainly a 19th century remodelling. Two wide and steep dormer gables feature 2-light wood mullioned and transomed windows with fretted bargeboards and finials. The enriched timberwork is of 19th century date. The lower storey has a central battened plank doorway with flanking 2-light windows in chamfered brick architraves.

The central section of the terrace is a former malthouse range built in brick and probably dating to the 18th century, though heavily restored by the Vaynor Estate. The brickwork is painted in imitation of timber framing, echoing decorative detail found in the short range. It comprises a 7-window range in which four dormers with mullioned and transomed windows (the former loft openings of the malthouse) alternate with 2-light casement windows in chamfered architraves. The ground floor has four doorways with flanking 2-light casement windows (some mullioned and transomed), all in chamfered architraves.

Rhiew Cottage and No. 5 form the advanced west end of the terrace, overlapping with part of the lower storey of the malthouse range. These sections are probably originally 17th century but were remodelled in the later 19th century. Originally timber-framed, they were raised in height and refronted in painted brick with a slate roof. The box framing is exposed in the gable end, showing clearly the original line of the roof. Framing in small vertical panels either side of a middle rail comprises a roof truss with a collar and short studs. A central timber gabled porch features a battened plank doorway with a flanking 2-light casement window, with a canopy hood typical of the Vaynor Estate to its left. Similar detail appears in an advanced casement window in the apex of the gable. The later roofline has fretted bargeboards with a finial. The return elevation is brick, a 2-storeyed, 4-window range with two battened plank doorways and metal casement windows of 2 and 3-lights (with transoms to lower windows) in chamfered architraves. The gable is coped with a moulded kneeler to the right, and a brick stack of Vaynor Estate type is present. An axial stack appears to be earlier.