Granary and malthouse at Blaengavenny Farm

Cadw's description

Location

On the old Abergavenny-Hereford road about half way between Llanvihangel Crucorney and Pantygelli. The granary and malthouse are attached to the north side of Blaengavenny Farmhouse.

History

Possibly a late C15 or early C16 detached kitchen, but both added to, heightened and partly rebuilt, ending up being converted in the late C19 into a malthouse and granary, perhaps in 1881 when one of the beams was engraved with this date (not seen on resurvey May 1997). Since this date there has been little change other than the late C20 reroofing.

Exterior

Thinly coursed red sandstone rubble with plastic slate roofs. One storey and attic. In two sections of which the earlier is the eastern end which has the lower roofline and no chimney.
This section appears to be of one build, though it may have been heightened, and to have been detached from the second until it was infilled between in the C19. The gable wall has an unglazed timber window with central mullion under a timber lintel. This looks a C19 replacement. Above is a modern 2 + 2 casement. The left wall is blind, and the entrance is now in a covered way which joins the outhouse to the farmhouse. The right wall has has a ground floor window as above, plus a smaller modern one to the right. The roof pitch strongly suggests that the roof was once thatched, and that when the roof was raised the original timbers were used and the pitch kept. The pitch is too steep for it to have carried stone tiles.
This section has been extended eastwards and heightened as the walling shows, this perhaps was done in 1881 when it was given an attic storey as a granary with a malt kiln below. The gable end has external stairs to granary door. Yard wall has a small doorway with a modern window to the right under concrete head. Rear wall clearly shows the rebuilding and extension, the extension has a modern window under a concrete head. Steeply pitched roof with central rebuilt stone stack for the kiln.

Interior

The older section has an inserted floor on rough beams. There is a clean timber framed partition on the first floor. Above is a principal rafter roof in three bays with three tiers of trenched purlins and a ridge piece, this has been replaced as the apex of the trusses had rotted. Many of the timbers have smoke blackening, but there has been alteration and rebuilding and many timbers are not blackened. It does suggest however that the existing roof was jacked up and that this was a late medieval open 'hall', probably a detached kitchen for Blaengavenny. The entrance is directly opposite the rear door of the farmhouse's cross-passage.
The western section has a malt kiln on the ground floor and a granary above with a C19 sawn timber roof.

Reason for designation

Included as a rare example of a detached kitchen later converted to granary and malthouse, and having important group value with the attached farmhouse and the nearby barn.