Penporthclais

Penporthclais, above the tiny harbour of Porthclais, is an absolutely typical example of the local vernacular. It originally started life as a pair of cottages, or possibly even three. These single-storey cottages with grouted roofs are characteristic of this headland.

Penporthclais is a good example of the local use of lime. It would have been built with lime mortar, it has limewash on it, and the roof has been limed. The grout holds the roof slates down in the winter gales and the whole design is effective at being easy to maintain, and easy to keep warm. The small rooms, small windows, and sleeping lofts take advantage of the fact that heat rises. The big chimney is absolutely typical of this area, even small cottages had enormous fireplaces.