Stryd Lydan Barn

Cadw's description

Location

One of the re-erected buildings in the open-air collection of the Museum of Welsh Life; within the gardens of St Fagans Castle.

History

Brought from near Penley in Flintshire. Southern part thought to be older and to date from c1550, northern two bays of barn of box-frame construction and thought to date from about 1600. The barn was re-erected at the Museum in 1951 and is of note as being the first building thus re-erected.

The Museum Council had recommended in October 1943 that 'an open-air museum was an essential auxiliary to the National Museum of Wales.' ; 'a Wales in miniature where in the confined area of one hundred acres the visitor will be able to wander through time and space.' This vision was made reality by Lord Plymouth's gift of St. Fagans Castle and Park to the National Museum of Wales in 1946. The gardens were opened to the public in 1947 and the house in 1948 but it was recognised that 'some time must elapse before any ancient houses can be re-erected in the Park'. The purpose of the Museum was that 'from different parts of Wales, farm-houses and buildings which would otherwise fall into ruin or be destroyed will be secured for re-erection, the chosen houses will of course be architecturally, historically and socially significant of Welsh culture'. The first building thus re-erected was the Stryd Lydan barn in 1951 and the ones which are included in the list are those re-erected between that date and 1972 and are thus all more than thirty years on their present site.

Exterior

Two part barn joined together by a drift-house and under a common roof of wheaten straw which replaced a later slate roof in 1951; new rafters. The older southern part has three bays with three cruck trusses and with a stone gable wall in places of trusses at the southern end. The later northern two bays of the barn are of box-frame construction. The panels are filled with woven split oak laths, twelve panesl to the south and eight to the north, both sections of the barn are five panels wide.

Interior

The framing and the crucks are visible within.

Reason for designation

Included as one of the first complete buildings re-erected at the Museum of Welsh Life, then the Welsh Folk Museum. This building is of considerable historic interest as one of the early exhibits, both for itself and for the way it has been displayed.