Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Scotch Fald
Pelenna, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Pelenna Forest, Pelenna, Neath Port Talbot, designated on 12 June 1990.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Agriculture and Subsistence
- Date of designation
- 12 June 1990
- Locality
- Pelenna Forest
- Community
- Pelenna
- Unitary authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.67287, -3.70050
- Cadw reference
- 11857
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · The fourth table of England. Cornub. Devonia, Somerset etc. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1907 · 248 Pontypridd (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Sited in a forest clearing approximately 3.2km NE of Tonmawr and above Bwlch y Cywion.
History
Probably built in the C18 or C19, perhaps early C19 when some estate owners were experimenting with new designs. The name Scotch Fald derives from the Welsh ‘ffald’ meaning fold and there is a tradition that the structure was used for cattle brought down from Scotland by a Mr Harghton of Longford Court, Neath. There are difficulties with the theory that it was used for cattle (for example the position and breadth of the only entrance from the outer enclosure) and an alternative suggestion is that it was used for gathering sheep for shearing. The structure is marked as a sheepfold on the 1877 Ordnance Survey. The former drover’s road lies less than 200m away.
Exterior
The fald consists of 2 concentric circular drystone rubble walls, of which the inner wall is 2-2.5m high. It has 2 entrances that are diametrically opposite, while the outer circle has an entrance on the NE side that is not line with the inner openings. The outer wall is 1-1.2m high, is partly breached, and has rubble stone walls attached that form 3 sides of a rectangular enclosure, open to the S and with the circular fald at the NW corner. The outer walls partly retain flat copings.
Reason for designation
Listed for its historic interest as an extremely rare and specialised agricultural building.
Nearby in the register
- Cwm Pelenna Colliery Ventilation FurnaceCollieryunder 1 mi
- Cwm Pelenna ventilation stackIndustrialunder 1 mi
- Cefn Mawr cairnRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Roman Marching Camp South West of Melin Court BrookMarching Camp1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.