A Restored Welsh Longhouse Where Centuries of Craft Meet Contemporary Calm

Perched high on the remote slopes near Carn Gafallt, Bwlch Coch is a house that seems to have grown organically from the Welsh hillside itself.

A cruck-framed longhouse of exceptional heritage, it sits in quiet conversation with the landscape around it, five acres of meadow, woodland, and sky, its stone walls carrying the patina of centuries while sheltering a home that feels both timeless and utterly of the present.

Although the longhouse, in its current form, dates mainly from the 17th century, parts of it reach back almost 700 years. Oak panels in the living room are said to have been salvaged from a ship; a 17th-century plank and muntin screen and a generous inglenook fireplace add depth and texture to its history.

The house, stone-built with a slate roof, unfolds over 4,200 square feet across two stories, a scale that feels at once expansive and deeply human.

The current owners have spent the past two decades restoring Bwlch Coch with immense care and restraint.

Their approach was one of subtraction rather than addition: stripping the house back to its bones to reveal the beauty of its materials, while layering in warmth, comfort, and the occasional note of color or artistry.

“We wanted to amplify its atmosphere rather than change it,” they explain, and the result is a home that feels both authentic and quietly sophisticated.

From the outside, the longhouse peers through a veil of ancient trees, its stone facade softened by moss and light. The window frames and front door are painted a grassy green, a shade chosen from a mid-century palette that ties the house to its landscape. The approach, along a gently irregular stone wall, sets the tone for what lies within.

In the living room, the old oak screen remains in place, dividing and defining the room, while an enormous inglenook fireplace anchors it.

Whitewashed stone walls ripple gently in the light, their imperfections celebrated rather than concealed. Underfoot, slate flagstones lend a cool solidity.

The kitchen is an exercise in cheerful confidence. Walls are painted in Annie Sloan’s ‘English Yellow’, a bold yet soothing counterpoint to the natural timber cabinetry and oak countertops.

A range cooker, deep butler’s sink, and views to the garden make it a practical and joyful space. A utility room beyond provides a link to the outdoors.

The office space offers a quiet retreat. Its built-in seat beneath a large picture window is perfectly placed for birdwatching and enjoying the surrounding landscape.

The master bedroom is lined with timber beams and flooded with light from two skylights and a pair of windows that frame the hills beyond.

The adjoining bathroom feels indulgent in its simplicity. A freestanding bath is placed to face the view, surrounded by generous storage and calm materials.

Three further bedrooms are found in the south wing, each oriented toward the green panorama outside. The largest has its own en suite, while the remaining two share a spacious shower room.

A studio shed in the garden was inspired by an Argentine design.

The five-acre grounds of Bwlch Coch unfold like an extension of the house itself. The gardens were designed in tandem with the restoration, ensuring a seamless connection between interior and exterior.

Landscaped borders give way to wildflower meadows, paddocks, and rewilded woodland, where 1,300 native trees have been planted under a Welsh government scheme.