The Long Barn and attached courtyard wall, gates and railings

Cadw's description

Location

Close to the entrance gateway to New House, on the hillside overlooking Cardiff.

History

Present building believed to be on site of earlier one as conversion to house revealed an earlier floor level of compacted lime. This building, reflecting the longhouse tradition, believed to be late C18, probably contemporary with rebuilding of New House c1795. Roof reported to have been originally covered with stone tiles. Markings on A-frame trusses indicate stable was build first, coach house next and cottage last. Courtyard and stables formerly had a surface of stone setts, cobbles and flags with drainage culverts beneath; well nearby still functional. Many of the stable furnishings were transferred to St Fagans Museum. Garden to rear formerly supplied the great house and included glasshouses and exotic plantings. Former later lean-to at front removed since listing and walled enclosures to rear opened up.

Exterior

Long stable range aligned roughly E/W, now divided into 3 dwellings and extended to W. Built of stone with stuccoed cladding; Welsh slate roof with half-hips. Single storey and loft to E extending to 2 storeys at W. The main frontage faces N with cambered arched openings to ground floor, 8/8 pane casement windows or louvres directly under eaves above. 3 main units. The uphill (E or left) unit comprises former stables with hayloft and has a range of 4 louvres to former loft, 4 louvred ventilators with finials to roof above, 4 ground floor casements and centre round-arched doorway, plus a former tack room to right comprising a separate doorway and a single window on each floor. Central unit, former coach house, comprises the two adjacent coach entrances, double to right, and a single doorway end right, 3 casement windows above. End unit right, The Cottage, former coachman's residence, has a central round-arched doorway flanked by windows, with 3 windows above, the central one narrow of 6 panes. Bolted ties visible below eaves. Extending at right angles at end right (NW) is a high section of the former courtyard wall, built of limewashed rubble with flat stone coping; it returns on higher ground to form a low boundary wall with replaced entrance gates and railings and piers at each end, relating to its former function as an approach from New House. To rear of main building is an asymmetrical range of mostly casement windows, 2 lateral stacks, added roof lights.

Interior

Interior now converted into 3 dwellings. Woodwork of A-frame roof trusses reported as made of red oak and numbered, with some timbers apparently re-used.

Reason for designation

Included for its historic interest as a long stable range associated with the main house; group value with this and the entrance gateway.