Joseph Parry's Cottage

4 Chapel Row is a strong example of a skilled ironworker's’ cottage. The architectural style is consistent with prevailing construction norms of the day. The cottage is a typical two storey house located in a terraced row with exterior features such as a continuous slate roof, small pane windows and pale quoins. Much of the materials used in the construction of the cottage came from nearby areas. In the valleys above the area, located in the Brecon Beacons, many natural resources could be found such as limestone, ironstone, sandstone. These locally sourced materials were used to construct the cottages, which were then leased to Crawshay family workers.

Many of the interior features in the modern day cottage have been restored, and now represent a typical 19th-century Victorian cottage. The interior also acts as a reflection of the living conditions for those who were employed at the ironworks. The first and most obvious feature of the cottage is the restored living room, which acted as the heart of Victorian households. Not only was it a living area, but it was also where domestic activities such as cooking, washing and ironing took place. Typical features of the living room include the stove, which contained a bread oven; it was this that was used for cooking, providing heat for the cottage and for heating the iron in order to perform…