Protecting Tŷ Mawr for the future
Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant will be benefitting from significant investment in 2024 through to mid-2025 to resolve long term defects including damp penetration. The investment is possible due to funding from a major donation, charitable trusts and by the National Trust.
What’s the problem?
Water is entering the building via the southern gable end (the wall behind the fireplace in the main hall) and causing significant damage to the fabric of the building including the oak lintel above the fireplace, an original feature.
An old photograph of Tŷ Mawr from the 1880s shows that the south gable was actually an internal wall, protected by an annex from the elements in this high rainwater environment. Even when the farmhouse had been modernised a century later, there’s evidence that damp was an ongoing problem – as evidenced by a photo of the gable end painted in bitumen in 1985.
In recent years, the rate and volume of water entering the interior has worsened causing significant impact inside. The building has been repointed on several occasions in the past in attempts to arrest water penetration, however the ingress is mainly down to fissures in the stonework itself and the inward-sloping gradient of the gable wall.
How will we solve the problem?
Having considered various interventions, we are proposing to clad the southern gable end with locally reclaimed slate in a sympathetic way, in keeping with the spirit of the place. We appreciate this will have a visual impact to the farmhouse, but we believe this is the best measure for preventing water from entering and causing damage in the long term.
This will protect the fabric of the building for generations to come, restore the oak beam above the fireplace and improve the environmental conditions inside ready for the return of the Bible collection.
What else is happening?
We’ll also be replacing the steep ladder-like staircase inside with a more conventional gradient and installing a fixed wooden banister to help improve access to the first floor.
The project will also involve improvements to the display of the Bible collection and interpretation, to provide more interest on the history of William Morgan’s legacy.
When will this happen?
The work is likely to be implemented through autumn and winter 2024/25, subject to gaining relevant permissions.