Farm Building at Twyn yr Hydd

Cadw's description

Location

Located to the NE of the house at the bottom of the sloping garden. Approached by a separate driveway.

History

A multi-purpose farm building comprising stables, lofts, cart shed and a bothy. Probably contemporary with the house, c1893, and built for Emily Charlotte Talbot's land agent, Edward Knox.

Exterior

Asymmetrical farm building in late Picturesque style. Main range orientated E-W with wings to each end and smaller wings projecting to E. Constructed of rough snecked masonry with quoins under red tiled roofs, some half-hipped, and large stone ridge stack. The front faces S into a courtyard. The wide L gable end is 2-storey. The gable is slightly recessed and faced in red brick and contains a 3-light casement window under a segmental head. Below is a shallow lean-to with tiled roof, below which are full-width planked double doors. The stack is on the ridge of this wing. The main range in the centre is single storey with loft. The ground floor, paved in blue brick, is recessed below a flat projection of timber beams supported on brackets. Within porch recess, stable doors to R and straight ahead, planked door to L and a boarded door under a segmental head set back at an angle. Above the projecting beams the loft is tile-hung. Gabled half-dormer containing a planked door with louvres in the apex. The R wing is 1-storey with a half-hipped roof and contains a 3-light multi-pane window under a segmental head of voussoirs. A range, lower still, projects to the R. It has full-height planked double doors and a vent in the E gable apex. A further bay added to the R is of C20 brick on rubble stone under a corrugated steel roof, also with double planked doors.

The rear elevation consists of the gabled bays of the 2 wings, between which the eaves of the main range project as a catslide roof so the wall is aligned with the L wing. The R wing is advanced and has a tall 2-light window below a late C20 window, both under segmental heads of voussoirs. The catslide section has a small window below the eaves, now boarded. The L wing has a 3-light multi-pane window under a segmental head. Vent in gable apex in sandstone surround. The W end of the building is of snecked masonry with 2 small boarded lancets, now within a lean-to glasshouse. Brick plinth supporting curved glazing bars with wide panes. Vertical glazing bars to ends and half-lit late C20 door at N end.

Interior

Well preserved stable in R wing containing 2 stalls and a loose box. Wood planked partitions surmounted by iron openwork screens, with round iron end posts with ball finials. Herringbone brick floors and gullies. Some timber lining against walls. The lower wing to the R is used as a pig sty, but was originally a cart-shed. Mid C20 garage further R. The groom was accommodated in the L wing, but the fireplace on the 1st floor is said to no longer survive.

Reason for designation

Listed as a multi-purpose farm building retaining its character, the late Picturesque style and use of different materials being of particular interest.
Group value with Twyn yr Hydd and associated structures.