Barn at Croft Farm

Cadw's description

Location

Approximately 1km N of White Castle, on the W side of the minor road which runs between White Castle and the B4521.

History

Important timber-framed barn of c1550, first recorded by Fox and Raglan (I, p 62-65). The original barn was probably wholly timber-framed, and the stone gables added. The W gable has subsequently been rebuilt and the barn on this side shortened. This barn at Great Trerhiw illustrates a late development in cruck-truss tradition where crucks alternate with framed trusses in the same building. Fox and Raglan suggest that at this late phase crucks are no longer truly functional, the weight of the roof being largely carried on the stout box-framed walls.

Exterior

C16 barn. Gables and lower part of the long walls are rubble stone, asbestos tile roof. Upper part of each long wall is timber framed and has two tiers of large square panels. On N side timber panels are mostly exposed and include (below eaves) rare-surviving oak stave and lattice panels; lower panels are clad by horizontal weatherboarding. Off-centre threshing floor has C20 corrugated metal doors. S elevation faces farmyard. On long wall to left of threshing floor, granary steps have brick supporting wall and rise in a straight flight to boarded door with slightly raised monopitch canopy. To right of threshing floor, upper walls are timber-framed and horizontally boarded. E gable has square opening with dripstone to pitching loft with boarded door.

Interior

Entry from farmyard into stone-flagged threshing floor. Low transverse partition of broad vertical planks separates threshing floor from lower cowshed. Barn of 4 bays; crucks alternate with framed trusses. To left of threshing floor, cruck truss has collar and tie beam, the foot of S blade is sawn off below tie and carried on projecting stone pier. To right, framed collar and tie beam truss is supported on massive jowled posts. Over the centre storage bays is an open cruck truss with collar and notched spurs, and flanking each gable are framed tie-beam trusses.

Reason for designation

Highly graded II* as a well-preserved and exceptionally rare example of a C16 cruck-framed barn with exceptionally fine carpentry.