Welsh longhouse renovation project in idyllic location for sale for first time in 100 years
Nestled within a glorious rural landscape there's work to do here but it will be totally worth the effort
A rare renovation find
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
Wander into the most glorious, undulating Carmarthenshire countryside and it feels like you have left the stress, noise and pollution of town and city life behind to be fully cocooned in nature, surrounded by breathtaking, panoramic views.
Hidden within this stunning landscape is a property that is a very rare find. If you can find the 200 metre, private driveway that is lined by trees and cloaked in dappled sunshine you will discover a traditional Welsh longhouse that could become the most beautiful of dream country homes.
Steeped in history and drenched in memories, this house is nestled within about 18 acres of land with incredible, far-reaching views to the hillside horizon of the Towy valley as the backdrop and a chorus of birdsong and foliage rustling in a gentle breeze as its surrounding soundscape. For more property stories sent to your inbox twice a week sign up to the property newsletter here.
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Hiding at the end of a tree-lined lane
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
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The property's idyllic setting offers seclusion and silence and the Bannau Brycheiniog Brecon Beacons National Park as the most majestic of neighbours. The remote rural location is a tranquil place to call home and for the first time in over one hundred years it is on the market.
The house has been a core part of one family's story for over five generations and current owner Sian Jones is happy to share her memories and love for the property. She says: " This longhouse is more than a building to me; it's the heart of our family's story.
Grade II listed house with history
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
"My grandfather's clog-making workshop was here, and his tools are now in museums for all to see. My father used to sleep in one small upstairs bedroom with his five siblings and evacuee children too during the Second World War.
"My grandmother was the kindest of ladies, known for her generosity; anyone who visited would always leave with a slab of cake. A cousin recently told me they thought she was pictured in a well-known book, 'Houses of the Welsh Countryside'.
"So I ordered a copy to the library and, after joyfully flicking through each page, there she was, popping her head out of the longhouse. I've since retaken that photo in the same spot, standing there, imagining what she must have been thinking fifty years ago."
The views are exceptional
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
The house and land for sale, which includes several enclosures as part of the package, also comes with the attached cattle byre and a small Dutch barn to the rear. It is a complete renovation project, packed with potential to make this property a bustling and much-loved home again.
The property was given a Grade II listing by Cadw in 2003, including its agricultural range, for being 'a rare surviving longhouse of unusually late date and demonstrating the longevity of a regional vernacular tradition'.
The listing suggests the longhouse might date back to the early 19th century based on an external but not internal inspection and is shown on the 1840 Tithe map, but is potentially much older than that.
Comes with about 18 acres of land
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
Over the years Sian has researched the property's history and believes that the site was potentially used at times as a base by Morgan Rhys, the renowned schoolmaster, poet, and hymn writer whose works are still sung in chapels across Wales today.
The story that Rhys preached at the property has been handed down through the family's generations and increases the special ambience at the site and raises the connection to Welsh history to another level.
In more recent times the site was a busy hub of the local rural community with a dairy and blacksmith operating on the premises alongside Sian's grandfather's workshop until 1955. Sian says tools and artefacts from this period can now be seen at the St Fagans National Museum of History and on display at Carmarthenshire Museum, underlining the property's contribution to Wales' heritage.
Attached is the former clog-maker's workshop
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
For the next owner to become the custodian of this rare property is to be the owner who potentially brings it back to life and creates a dream home to maybe hand down through five generations of their future family. For more property stories join our Amazing Welsh Homes Facebook group here
The agent selling the property says planning permission has already been granted for the longhouse to be transformed into a three-bedroom home that faithfully respects the character and heritage of its original design as well as creating a house providing modern comfort too.
Inside there's character but plenty of work to do too
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
Currently the longhouse includes the adjoining workshop and externally extends to 28 metres in length plus there's the Dutch barn and garage in the grounds that add extra potential, if planning allows, or are just very handy as storage.
Immersed in nature and wrapped in breathtaking, far-reaching views , the property and land offers peace and privacy but not complete isolation, being nestled into the landscape between five charming Carmarthenshire villages that between them offer a choice of pubs, shops, schools, chapels and community halls and a community to connect to if required.
The popular towns of Llandeilo and Carmarthen are only about seven and 15 miles away respectively for a wider choice of amenities, and a day at the coast is possible too, with Gower peninsula and Pembrokeshire around the Tenby area to the south and the Ceredigion coastline to the north.
Selling agent says the house comes with planning to create a three-bed home
(Image: Davies Morgan & Partners, Llandeilo)
There's a glorious landscape to explore on the doorstep too, with a whole range of outdoor activities to try and to become passionate about, from riding to rambling, biking to hiking, with plenty of rivers and streams for water-based fun, and a countryside packed with wildlife, insects and birds as the natural neighbours to discover.
Sian says: " We've been stewards of this home for five generations and it's now time for a new owner to continue its legacy and give this incredible longhouse a new chapter."
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The house and land are for sale with a guide price of £325,000 with Davies Morgan & Partners, call 01558 821196 to find out more.
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