Ripolles Stories: Farmhouses of the Sant Joan Range (surroundings of Rodonella)

The village of Sant Joan de les Abadesses is located in the Ripollès region at an altitude of about 770 meters above sea level. It occupies the center of a pre-Pyrenean valley traversed by the Ter River from east to west and surrounded by high mountains. It has an area of 53.41 km² and borders Ripoll to the west, Vallfogona del Ripollès to the south, Ridaura to the southeast, the Vall de Bianya and Sant Pau de Segúries to the east, Camprodon to the north, and Ogassa to the northwest.

First of all, it must be said that our region has not been rich in farmhouses with significant architectural importance. These are mostly found along the plains near the Ter River and the riera de l’Arçamala. In the past, many of these farmhouses housed both people and livestock. The living space in these small farmhouses or huts typically included a dark kitchen, with a hearth in the center, stoves, a bread oven, a bench, wooden beams, and some had a washbasin. Almost all farmhouses had the hearth in the center of the house because it was the most important feature; this is why, for many centuries, we find lists of censuses called “fogatges,” as houses were identified and recorded by their hearths.

We will share details about the farmhouses of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, such as Rodonella, along with their history, architectural features, current state, and historical census records…

Rodonella

 This was the largest and one of the best farmhouses in Sant Joan de les Abadesses. In 1994, the house was in complete ruins.

The farmhouse consisted of 3 floors, with the living space on the second floor and at ground level. Below the floor were the stables, and separated from this building was a large barn, also in ruins, with external stairs leading to the first floor. This house had two living quarters: the main house and the tenant’s quarters.

The tenant’s house, despite its ruined state, was relatively recently abandoned, specifically in 1966, when the Salvans family moved to the Nova Casa de Rodonella, also known to many locals as “Can Salvans,” which is currently one of the largest farmhouses in the entire village area. It has a large estate and livestock. Formerly, there were forty “cuarteradas” of land, yielding 130 or 140 cuarteradas of wheat and corn. They had 20 to 25 cows and a dozen pigs. Today they have over 100 cows and around 400 pigs.
Above the Nova Casa de Rodonella and near the ruins of the old Rodonella house was the spring.

From the consultation of various archives, we have found the following information regarding this farmhouse:

• In the 1397 capbreu of the Abbot of Villalba, the “batllia” of Rodonella of the parish of Sant Joan and Pau is mentioned with the name Francesca, wife of Jaume de
• Rodonella, owner of the farmhouse. The document also specifies the possession of a couple of tenant farms named “la Colomina” and “Graello.”
• In a 1460 census index, the Mas Rodonella and the Mas Gonter are mentioned, giving the monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses two sesters of oats, twelve “punyeras” of wheat, four strips of bacon, one cuarterada of barley, one hen, and one loaf of bread.
• On March 13, 1500, there is a judgment from the Abadiato of Sant Joan’s judge, Narcís Amaluch, concerning a dispute between Joan Oriola and Gabriel Bosch of Rodonella about the rights and properties of devesas in the Montcoia mountain.
• In an 18th-century rent book, the Mas Rodonella is mentioned as giving the monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses 27 “punyeras” of barley. 1701 – Joan Cubí.

Mas Guanter or Rodonella de Baix

A house located just below Rodonella. Its construction was entirely conditioned by the slope of the land. In 1988, the farmhouse had a grouped structure, consisting of three floors with the “corts” on the first and a gabled roof. It had a sloping exit to the west, a later addition to the rest of the farmhouse. Near the house was the spring with a washhouse and a drinking trough. During this year, the house was used as stables and storage for the farmers living in the new house of Rodonella.

From the consultation of different parish and municipal archives, we have found the following information regarding this farmhouse:

• In a 1395 will, a certain Guillem Gonter of Rodonella is mentioned as the executor.
• In the 1397 capbreu of the Abbot of Villalba, the Mas Gonter of Rodonella of the parish of Sant Joan and Pau is cited with the name Francesca Gonter de Rodonella de abajo, wife of Guillem.
• In a 1462 will, an executor named Pere Guanter is mentioned.
• In 1720, Mas Guanter was inhabited by Rafael Planas.
• In 1729, it was inhabited by Cecília Picart.
• From 1732 to 1756, it was inhabited by Pere Picart.
• The owner of the farmhouse in 1769 was Josep Blanxart of Olot.
• In 1849, it was inhabited by Francesc Picart.
• In 1901, Mas Guanter was inhabited by Francesc Palau i Sau with two other people.
• In 1912, it was inhabited by Carme Puig i Sala with four other people.
• In 1924, Mas Guanter was inhabited by Josep Picart i Puig with nine other people.
• In 1940, the house was inhabited by Josep Codinach i Sirera with ten other people.
• In 1960, the farmhouse was inhabited by Pere Colom i Tenas with two other people and Antoni Tallant i Leucó with another person.

El Serradal

A house built on a slope and on uneven terrain. The farmhouse, as of August 28, 1979, consisted of a three-story building shared between living space and stables. Another building, square in shape, with a gabled roof and a somewhat rudimentary archway, was used for the cavalry. These features are all from August 28, 1979, and the farmhouse was used as a second residence.

A rather flat area near the Ter River. Behind the house is the mountain forest.

We were told that the farmhouse always had problems with water supply. They would get the necessary water from the stream when it flowed and went to wash at the Ter River below. For drinking water, they had to go to the spring at Rodonella with a barrel and a cart.

In the 1397 capbreu of the Abbot of Villalba, the Mas Serradal of the parish of Sant Joan and Pau is mentioned with the names Jaume and Bernat del Serradal.

The owners:

• 1602 – Pere Morlans
• 1681 – Pere Pla
• 1708 – Francesc Batalla
• 1715 – Geroni Serrat
• 1730 – Joan Pagès
• 1735 – 1748 Bertomeu Fajula
• 1766 – Jaume Fajula

The owner of the farmhouse in 1769 was a certain R. d’Asprer. In 1901, the farmhouse was inhabited by Pere Colomer i Basagaña with another person. In 1924, the farmhouse was inhabited by Martí Puigcorbé i Carles with four other people.

In 1994, the house still served as a second residence.

Cal Santpare

This farmhouse was built on the mountainside above the Serradal and Rodonella, on small flat areas before reaching the mountain crest.

Abandoned in 1930, its last inhabitants moved to Ripoll.

According to what we were told, it was a house with a severe lack of water, and initially, they had to go to the spring at Mas Guanter to wash and fetch water.
Later, they built a washhouse from a small source or pond that dried up in the summer. By 1986, the farmhouse was entirely gone, as a forest track had demolished the last remaining ruins of Cal Santpare.

In an 1816 book, the heir of Cal Santpare is mentioned.

In 1924, the farmhouse was inhabited by two families of two people each, headed by Josep Orriols i Subirana and Joan Orriols i Subirana.

Can Faula

This house was built in the middle of some parcels on a small stream coming from the Rourés spring and near the old path to Ginebret. The farmhouse consisted of two separate buildings: one for the dwelling and the other for the barn. Both were built at the edge of a slope.

Around the farmhouse, there used to be a pear tree and a walnut tree, which had disappeared by 1990. It seems that the farmhouse was abandoned at the end of the 19th century. Its collapse was very rapid due to the removal of the tiles.

In front of the house and across the stream was the spring, which is now only a water source in times of heavy rain.

From the consultation of some documents in the parish and municipal archives, we found the following data regarding this house:

• The house of Can Faula existed earlier with the name “Mas Rauzers,” later called Rourés de Baix, and finally Can Faula. The neighboring house of Rourés was called Rourés d’amunt.
• In the 1397 capbreu of the Abbot of Villalba, a Mas Rauzers of the parish of Sant Joan and Pau owned by Francesca Gonter of Rodonella is mentioned.
• In a 1737 book of the Sacristy of the monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Mas Rodonella de abajo is mentioned along with Mas Rourés de Baix, specifying that this house had been recently built.
• In an 1816 book, a tenant living in the house of Guanter Faula is cited.
• In 1994, the house was gone.

Cal Soc

This farmhouse was built on rocky, rough land between two small streams. Rustic and humble, according to its last inhabitant, it was one of the worst houses in the neighborhood. It consisted of two separate buildings, one for stables and living quarters, and the other for livestock.

The farmers who lived in this house had to fetch water from a distant place. From the reading of parish and municipal books, we found the following data regarding this house:

• In an 1816 book, this house is cited under the name “Joan Massachs.”
• In 1840, the farmhouse was inhabited by a certain Josep Massachs.
• 1901 – Rosa Mitjavila i Pubill with two other people
• 1909-1924 Eudald Massachs i Mitjavila with the family.
• This house was abandoned in 1930.

Photographed in 1985, the farmhouse was in total ruin.

A disappeared house located across from Rodonella, on the other side of the Soc torrent, on a small hill over some parcels and before the forest began.

In 1986, the last remains of this house could still be seen amidst the undergrowth. It seems the farmhouse was very rudimentary and reportedly had a slab with a hole used as a washhouse.

We were also told that the materials from this house (tiles, beams, etc.) were used by other local farmhouses for new restorations of their buildings. Specifically, at Mas Guanter or Rodonella de Baix, there is a beam with a date from the last century that came from Ca L’Assistent. It seems the name comes from an assistant of a military person from some Carlist war who rebuilt it.

In an 1816 book, where the farmhouses of Sant Joan de les Abadesses are listed geographically, a farmhouse named “Julià” is listed between the houses of Pont d’en Serra and Rodonella de Baix, which could correspond to the former name of Ca L’Assistent.

Sources:

• Costa, P. Santanach M. (1996). La Pagesia a Sant Joan de les Abadesses
• Des de la repoblació de la vall fins els nostres dies. Girona: Palahí Arts Gràfiques

Documentation: