Farm buildings at Gwern-y-go

Cadw's description

Location

The farm buildings lie on the SE side and against the road from Kerry to Churchstoke, with the access to the farm on the SW side.

History

Gwern-y-go farm has been a major farm in the Kerry area since a grange of the Cistercian Abbey of Cwm-Hir, Radnorshire was established in the medieval period. The grange subsequently received a grant of a chapel. Later in the C17 the farm came into the hands of the Foxe of Cainham family. Only a cross-boarded studded door, and a moulded bressumer re-used in the cellar, remain from the medieval period in the house, which, although structurally of the C17, has been extensively altered and modernised. The farm buildings date from a planned development of the farm in the early-mid C19 to provide self-contained feed handling facilities and housing for beasts. An earlier corn mill, lying between the farm buildings and the house, was refitted and extended at the same time.

Exterior

Red brick in garden wall bond, with slated roofs and shaped bargeboards to gables. The symmetrical plan comprise 2 enclosed yards separated by a large 6-bay building, having an open-fronted cart house with round arches, and a loft over, facing the farm. Each side of this are 2 small rectangular stock yards with a central gate, serving 3 animal houses each side. Each of the main square yards has a covered driftway, with framed and boarded doors giving access to the perimeter feeding walk which continues round the outer sides, and on the inner side of the pens facing the small yards. The SW yard has a lower peninsular, but apparently contemporary, building. The buildings have boarded stable doors in chamfered frames, and ventilated windows, with slats to the lower section, all openings having slight segmental brick heads. Octagonal ventilator turret with spire at the centre. Some panels of ventilated brickwork on gables.

Interior

The ample feeding walks provide access to the timber manger and trough below, and are served by drops from the feed storage above. Ladders provide access to the lofts. The roof collar-trusses over the central barn support 2 lower purlins, and have raking strut to queen posts.

Reason for designation

Included as a well preserved example of a building specifically designed for animal husbandry, dating from a period when agricultural improvements were the subject of much concern.