Former Drying Houses

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the bottom of a slope, 50m E of the road, diagonally behind Mill Street; set against the incline.

History

Drying house, perhaps of C18 date, associated with the corn mill to the N. The mill is mentioned in 1767 and although itself rebuilt in the third quarter C19, the drying house is possibly primary. A further drying house was added to the S at the time of the mill's rebuilding, thereby forming a conjoined pair. The siting of such houses, away from the mill to minimise fire risk, is typical.

Exterior

Two adjoining drying houses, both of random rubble with slate roofs and tiled ridges. The earlier, northern range is single storey and has a gabled, slatted louvre of corrugated iron. Modern boarded entrances to far L and R, the latter with timber surround and (replaced) exposed lintel, the former to eaves height. The N gable end shows stepped-down creasing, indicating the former presence of a further range; loading bay to rear with modern boarded door. The later range is stepped-up to the S and has a steeper roof pitch and one-and-a-half storeys. Entrance to R with cambered red brick head and recessed, modern boarded door; slatted vent above. Similar slatted vent to S gable.

Interior

The northern range retains an internal stone stair leading from the entrance at L to the (former) drying floor. The stoking hole to the kiln is visible at the northern end. The later, southern range has its drying floor partly intact to the southern section; this has ceramic tiles set onto an iron grid. Stoking hole to northern section with vented loft over.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a scarce surviving example of a grain drying complex.