Please note, the majority of properties on the trail are now private residences,

please respect their privacy.

Green Cottage

Green Cottage stands within the historic settlement known as Cross Green, a little north of the main village around St Cadoc’s Church. Cross Green appears to have been a distinct settlement focus from an early period, centred on an open village green, a crossing of the Nant Llancarfan, and the village corn mill. By the time of the 1840 Llancarfan tithe map, Green Cottage was already one of a small group of cottages clustered around the green and mill. The historic landscape study specifically identifies Crossgreen and Green Cottage alongside the old corn mill, while on the opposite side of the stream stood Caradoc Cottage and the larger Ty-to-maen.

This setting is significant because Cross Green was not simply a later collection of houses. The archaeological study describes Llancarfan as an organic post-medieval village with early-medieval origins, originally having two principal centres: the church settlement and the settlement around Cross Green and the mill. The latter grew around a road junction and river crossing and appears to have retained its distinctive character well into the nineteenth century. Green Cottage was therefore part of a small working rural community whose life was closely connected with the mill, the stream, farming and the routes passing through Llancarfan.

The 1840 tithe map is particularly important. The settlement at Cross Green then consisted of the old corn mill and a cluster of cottages set amongst irregular enclosures. The Nant Llancarfan was crossed by both a ford and a footbridge, making this a natural meeting and crossing point. Green Cottage consequently occupied a position within what was effectively a small rural hamlet centred on the mill and green rather than simply being an isolated country cottage.