16th century and later; L shaped stone, 2 storeys, slated, stone stacks, arched doorway, screens passage with plank and munton partitions; ceiling beams, stone stairs, very thick walls.

[Additional:]
A substantial house of Snowdonian type, with voussoir-headed doorways and a screened cross-passage. The postand-
panel partitions originally had twin doorways into the outer rooms and a large central doorway into the hall.
The house is fully storeyed with a habitable attic. Structural evidence suggests that the single-storey north-west
kitchen wing has been added. Plan: P. Smith, Houses of the Welsh Countryside, 2nd edn (London: HMSO, 1988), fig. 217(h?l). (RFS/RCAHMW/2011)

Tree-ring dating commissioned in two phases by RCAHMW in association with Fflic T.V. for Cartrefi Cefn Gwlad Cymry series, and by North-West Wales tree-ring dating project in partnership with RCAHMW in 2010. Samples were taken from the roof of the rear (north) wing and the main roof, the cross-passage screens, the ground floor ceilings of the main range and a fireplace lintel in the main ground floor room. The fireplace lintel was the earliest timber dated c1503. Eleven timbers, including roof timbers from the main range and some north wing roof timbers, two from the cross passage screens, two ceiling timbers from the main range, and a rear range mantel beam, were felled over a period from winter 1555/56 to summer 1557, and appear to represent a single phase of construction, most likely in 1557. The north (rear) range roof appears to have been reconstructed using some original purlins and a principal rafter with an outer heartwood ring formed in 1586, giving a likely felling date after 1597, which may be of the same date as the axial beam felled in summer 1640.

Summary of initial results in Vernacular Architecture 41 (2010), pp. 116-17. Consolidated report available in NMRW. (NJR, 07/04/2011)

Further summary of tree-ring dating in Vernacular Architecture 42 (2011):

x. MAENTWROG, Brynyrodyn (SH 7077 4085)
(a) Primary phase Felling dates: Winter 1555/6, Summer 1556, and Summer 1557
(b) Rear (north wing) reconstruction Felling date: Summer 1640
(a) (Front range) Collars 1556(33?C), 1555(29?C); Principal rafter 1516(H/S+32C NM); Screen door jamb 1533(H/S); Screen head 1518(+25NM); Joists (2/3) 1552(37+4NM), 1536(22); Fireplace lintel 1503(36?C); (Rear wing) Mantelbeam 1555(37C); Reset purlins 1531(H/S), 1526(2), 1525(H/S); (b) Axial beam 1639(33?C); Principal rafters (1/2) 1586. Site master 1388-1639 BRYNDYN2 (t = 11.1 PENGWERN; 8.8 BDGLRT7; 8.7 LYNA).
Bryn yr Odyn is a substantial house of Snowdonian type with voussoir-headed doorways and a fully-screened cross-passage. The post and panel partitions originally had twin doorways into the outer rooms and a large central doorway into the hall. The house is fully storeyed with a habitable attic. Further sampling refined the phasing reported in VA 41: 116-7. The principal range (a) was constructed in 1557 or shortly after but incorporates an earlier fireplacebeam. The rear kitchen wing (b) was built using timber felled in 1640 but also incorporating earlier timber. Plan in Houses of theWelsh Countryside, 2nd edition (London, 1988), p.644, fig. 217 (h-l). Dating commissioned by RCAHMW in partnership with Fflic T.V. and NWWDP. (RF SUGGETT/RCAHMW/JULY 2011)