Llandeilo Abercywyn

Description

Situated on the N side of the Afon Taf estuary, at the end of a 1.2 km track off a minor road some 2.8km W of the centre of Llanybri.
Remnant of Llandeilo Abercywyn, a late medieval first-floor hall house, used as an outbuilding to Llandeilo Abercywyn farm and converted to a house in C20. House was owned in late medieval times by the Dwnn family of Kidwelly. Henry Dwnn was killed at the battle of Banbury 1469. His son in law, Trahaiarn ap Morgan of Muddlescwm is said to have rebuilt the house at Llandeilo Abercywyn. He died before 1529. Owen Morgan, his second son inherited, died before 1570. About 1600 passed to Mansel estate, sold in 1660 to R. Dawkins of Kilvrough, Glam. Farm was tenanted from C17. Dawkins heiress married the Marquis de Choiseul 1791, 1793 sold to Gabriel Powell of Swansea, 1794 to P. Prothero of Bristol, leased, including mansion house, to tenant Thomas Waters 1798,. sold to Dr John Jones of Bronwydd Cards 1806, and estate passed to the Lloyds of Bronwydd. The old house is said to have had an upper storey, removed in 1892-3 and there were three undercrofts, the vaulting now gone from one of them. The building was used as an outhouse, with access to the upper floor from an external stair. Converted to a house c1987.
Basement in three parallel spaces all originally with low vaults, removed in N room. N room has C20 stairs to first floor and long fireplace on N wall, infilled. Door at E end of S wall into middle room. Middle room has a span of some 5m, W window is small and probably medieval in splayed recess. Central doorway through into S room, with rebate for closing on S side. S room has slate dairy troughs. In E wall is narrow stone mural stair up to first floor with rough pointed arch at head, above stairs are underside of a further stair presumably blocked when upper storey was removed. First floor is all renewed in later C20 and subdivided, it was a grain loft and evidence for the first floor hall has gone.
House, unpainted render to upper floor over rubble stone basement. Slate close-eaved roof with tiny C20 end stacks. W front has flight of ten C20 stone steps up to centre C20 door with large 6-pane C20 sash each side, and a small 4-pane sash further left, all openings with C20 hoodmoulds. Basement left has door and 4-pane window in glazed C20 lean-to. Basement right has original small Bath stone square light with side holes for bars, partly under outside stairs. Four-pane C20 sash to right. End walls have two 6-pane sashes above. 4-pane window below to S end only. Rear has slight projection to left for mural stair with small square stair light. Two C20 6-pane windows first floor centre and right, over three 4-pane windows. First floor extreme left has fine inserted late medieval traceried window head of 2 cusped heads to lights and a wheel of 3 mouchettes above, 2 mouchettes in spandrels.
(Listed Building Report)

Dyfed Archaeological Trust HER report as a Medieval Tower House. Pilgrims Rest is a C16 manor house with a vaulted undercroft. The removal of an upper floor in 1892-3 has changed the form of the house. Not known if this site had defensive features but this area was susceptible to pirates and may well have been fortified, as might any predecessor building.