Farm building on W side of the farmyard at Fron Newydd

Cadw's description

Location

Fron Newydd lies on the N sider of the minor road from Llanegryn to Tonfanau, on the N side of the Dysynni estuary. The farmyard lies in front and below the old farmhouse.

History

The constructional detail of this building (and especially the roof timbers) suggest an C18 date, perhaps therefore contemporary with the original house.

Exterior

Built of local stone rubble, with slate roofs, one section replaced with corrugated sheeting and the lean-to cow-shed at the lower end with corrugated asbestos. The building is in three parts, the upper gable end set at right angles and against the raised terrace on which stands the house. The upper section is a cow-shed, with boarded door towards centre of yard-facing elevation, with a vent to its left and a small-paned window to the right. Further door towards lower gable in rear wall, and another small window. In the upper gable, and accessed from the raised terrace, is a small pitching door. The second section is shorter, originally a carthouse (now cow-shed) with granary over, the wide carthouse door now reduced to a boarded door under a large stone lintel, and stone steps in front rise to a renewed door into the granary. The third stage, at the S end of the range, is a lean-to cow-shed with a boarded door and small window.

Interior

Original cow-shed has 2 rough trusses of C18 type, with raking braces to collar; two purlins and flat rafters. Traditional stall layout retained, with feeding passages against each gable end. Former cartshed also adapted as cow-shed with wooden stall divisions and feeding passage against rear wall. The granary above retains the wooden grain bins, slate-lined against the stone walls of the building. Lower cow-shed has concrete stalls (reconstructing an earlier arrangement c1947-8).

Reason for designation

Listed as part of an especially good vernacular planned farmstead at Fron Newydd, making ingenious use of the different levels of the land. The buildings retain strong vernacular character, including some internal detail.