Main Farmyard Group at Castle Malgwyn Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Situated down drive of some 500m running E from junction of road to Boncath and Garnon's Mill Road.

History

Estate farm buildings built for Sir Benjamin Hammet of Castle Malgwyn and situated some 1km from the house, on the reputed castle site. Noted from the early C19 for their formal layout.

Exterior

Farmyard group, much altered, probably of c.1798, though dated 1867 on a weathervane. An unusual formal layout comprising a big classical entrance gateway to the N giving onto a narrow court flanked by a gabled range each side, these each having a half-hipped range at right-angles behind, facing onto an E-W throughway. S of this is a roughly half-oval group, comprising a S entrance tower flanked by a short range each side, and then curving single storey ranges of stalls or open cart sheds. S of the tower are steep slate steps down to the farmhouse. The 1843 tithe map and 1842-3 one inch OS map suggest that there was no E-W throughway, but entries only from the N and S.

North group: Rubble stone except for the N gate which looks mid C19, cut Cilgerran stone with elliptical arch, keystone, impost blocks and heavy cornice. Rubble wall each side. The ranges within are heavily altered with all the openings infilled, the W range appears to have been built in two halves, the N half having a blocked entry with pine lintel, the S half having two blocked doors with stone voussoirs and a blocked window. S end are outside steps. Rear has blocked arched doorway to S and blocked tall arch to N, both with finely cut stone voussoirs. E range has 5 blocked doors below and three loft windows above, cut stone voussoirs to upper windows, similar to rear. The ranges at right angles have half-hipped roofs and generally blocked S openings, SE range has three blocked loft windows with cut voussoirs and blocked tall door to ground floor left and two C20 metal windows, rough voussoirs. SW range was matching, three loft windows above, two blocked windows and tall door to right, similar voussoirs. W end is concrete block. Added later C19 three-sided court to outside NE, open-fronted single storey with iron posts, probably replacements.

South group: S tower is rubble stone, 2-storey, with high round arch to through passage and one upper window each side. Sandstone voussoirs. Low-pitched roof with short timber louvred bell-turret and iron vane marked EG 1867, short stone piers each side. Each side, a short single storey straight range and then curving range to form rough half-oval. W side has grouted slate roofs, first four open bays with stone piers, then open curved short section, altered, then long range of open bays, the first part-infilled, the third of double width, possibly as pier removed, and further five beyond. Stone piers with chamfered angles. E side has grouted slate section originally open, now infilled in two bays and then altered broad opening, then curving part in rubble stone with slate roof: blocked door, then broad altered opening, window, door, window, broad altered opening, window blocked door and window. The windows are C20 metal.

Reason for designation

Included for the rare formal composition of farm buildings with entrance gateway, etc.