Farm buildings at Dolaugwyn

Cadw's description

Location

Dolaugwyn stands in the flood plain of the Afon Fathew, 1.25m W of Bryn Crug.

History

The barn appears to be C16, with the cowhouse range at right angles added in the early C19, the two linked by a square plan building added in the later C19.

Exterior

The barn is built of roughly coursed boulders, with some igneous rock and some white quartz and the joints galetted. Corrugated iron roof replacing slate abutting a raised boulder-coped gable on kneelers at the N end. The cowhouse range is built of coursed rubble on a boulder foundation, with old slate roof, hipped at the return over the later link building which is of similar construction. The two ranges make an 'L'-plan, with the barn running approximately N-S, and the cowhouse E-W at the S end. The barn has two pairs of small double cart doors with timber lintels. Two levels of slit vents to each bay. The N gable end is rebuilt and has a later open-fronted lean-to structure. A modern large-span sheet roofed building covers the rear of the barn range. The cowhouse range has 5 stable doors alternating with square ventilated windows, some of the doors now converted to windows.

Interior

The barn is of 5 bays, c6m span, supported on four pairs of full cruck trusses, halved at the apex and with high-set collars and trenched tie beams, the latter replaced with later tie beams set higher. One couple has been replaced with a conventional tie beam truss on an internal pier, and another cruck blade has been cut off at tie beam level on the W side. Two tiers of purlins. The threshing floor at the centre is paved with slate. The cowhouse range was not accessible at the time of inspection.

Reason for designation

Included as a fine example of a large cruck barn later associated with a C17 gentry estate, and with its C19 additions, forming a good farmstead group of strong vernacular character.