Cowhouse at Upper Stanton Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Up a track on the west side of the Llanthony road about 1500m north west of St Michael, Llanvihangel Crucorney. The cowhouse is opposite the farmhouse.

History

A partly medieval, probably C13 building, once a chapel, converted into a cowhouse and considerably extended probably in the C19 but altered little since then other than losing its roof covering.

Exterior

Roughly squared red sandstone rubble with dressed quoins, and a corrugated sheet metal roof. The building retains three medieval walls, having been considerably extended to the left (west) end probably in the C19. Where this addition joins on can be clearly seen in the stone of the front elevation. The medieval section has a plain doorway to the right, to the left of this is a small window with chamfered surround and ogee head, to the left of this in the C19 part a larger main entrance to the cowshed. The gable wall has a taking in door for the hay loft above. The rear wall is blind except for a small chamfered lancet which is blocked. The east gable is common with the larger attached barn, and retains the blocked altar window with chamfered surround.

Interior

The only medieval feature that can be seen is the holy water stoup immediately to the left of the door. The door is however unlikely to be in the medieval position which you might expect in the west gable or anyway at the west end away from the altar, so the stoup was probably reset when the cowshed was extended, C19 inserted floor for the hayloft on very roughly chamfered beams. Little of the roof can be seen but it appears unremarkable.

Reason for designation

Listed for its origins as a medieval Chapel with surviving C13 features. This was converted into a cowhouse in the C19.