Aberbran Fawr

Aberbran Fawr is a two-storey farmhouse and former gentry house built in rubble stone, mostly roughcast, with stone-tile and slate roofs. It comprises two distinct parts: an older, longer western range and a shorter eastern range dating to the 18th century, marked by a straight joint between them.

The western range features a massive double lateral chimney on the rear south wall, with the left chimney having a raised chimneybreast and the right rising from the wall edge; the main shafts are linked but the top stacks are separated. The windowless western end has a ground floor blocked late medieval depressed-arched door. The north front is pebbledashed with widely separated windows and close eaves. Windows comprise a 4-pane sash to the first floor left, a 12-pane sash on each floor to the right, and a door with overlight to the right of centre with a blank window above.

The eastern range is colour-washed rubble with a slate roof of steeper pitch. It has 18th-century stone end stacks, the right one larger. The two-window range includes two first-floor 20th-century windows with timber lintels. The ground floor has two doors: the left one formerly a window, and the right one in an oak frame with a board door, wrought iron hinges, and overlight. The east end wall has an attic window. Two gabled low rear wings of rubble stone flank a rear wall between them with two 20th-century upper windows and two lower windows—one 20th-century and one louvred for ventilation. The western wing has a boarded door to the west side on the left and a dripstone of a blocked opening to the right; the south end has a loft window with oak lintel and dripstone, and the east side has an oak lintel to a 9-pane window to the right with an overgrown window to the left. The eastern wing has a boarded window with top lights on its east wall.

The rear of the older range has one bay to the left of the big chimneys and two to the right, retaining stone tiles on the roof slope. The left bay has a 4-pane sash over an inserted 12-pane sash with concrete sill. The two right bays each have 12-pane sashes on both floors, the left ones with stone sills. A spur wall attached to the northwest corner has a four-centre arched doorway, possibly to a former cross-passage.

Interior Plan and Features

The interior plan was altered in the 18th century. The entrance leads to the east end room of the eastern range, formerly a cider room, with a partition to the west into the kitchen. Three large beams are visible in these two rooms. A passage runs through to the main house south of the big chimneybreast. Broad enclosed stairs to the south connect the passage and rear wing.

The main range is divided into three sections across six bays overall. The east room has a large east chimney with a cambered-headed fireplace and a fine 18th-century arched alcove with moulded arched surround, keystone, and shaped shelves. The middle room is split between a south-side parlour and a narrow north entrance hall. The parlour contains 18th-century fielded panelling and a good timber chimney-piece with corniced shelf and overmantel with a raised panel between fluted pilasters with a cornice broken forward above. The panel is square with an inset octagonal panel featuring concave diagonal sides and 4-petal flowers in the outer corners. Delft tiles line the fireplace. A fine arched corner cupboard similar to the alcove in the east room has fielded panelled doors with shaped heads. Eight-panel fielded panel doors open to the east and west.

The west end room has two chamfered beams and another 18th-century arched cupboard with keystone and fielded panelled doors. The south wall features a fine 16th-century fireplace of very large proportions with a grey stone square-headed surround dated 1749. The fireplace jambs are moulded with ovolo and wave profiles. Fielded panelled shutters are present.

The first floor contains a long corridor along the north front with altered rooms.