Wane House at Upper Trerew

Location

Approximately 2km E of Llanvetherine, on gently sloping ground at the end of a short farm track that runs E off the minor road from White Castle to the B4521. The Wane house borders the farmyard to W of farmhouse.

History

This small farm building is very remarkable, containing two exceptionally well-preserved cruck trusses that are smoke-blackened suggesting that they once formed part of a medieval timber framed hall-house, originally open to the roof. The present building is not a surviving 1-bay hall-house (as at little Llwgy, Cwmyoy) but a shortened hall-house of at least 2-bays. The cruck truss at the S end, with tie beam and collar, would have been the gable truss of the former medieval hall. The ‘open' cruck truss at the N end has a collar, and spurs (in place of tie beam) and would have been the centre truss over the open hall. The building must have extended N by at least another bay, although the second gable truss no longer survives. In early C17 the external walls were encased in stone and the old timber-framed house was reconstructed to form a lofted stable.

Exterior

Small early C17 stable. Rubble stone with gabled slate roof. S front is single-storey. Ground floor has entrance doorway (right) and C17 4-light diamond mullion with roll moulding. Opposing rear elevation is enclosed by C20 corrugated building at back. Attached to S gable is a C20 shed with corrugated iron roof, and attached to N gable a 2-bay shelter shed with slate roof.

Interior

The interior is most remarkable containing the smoke-blackened timbers and two exceptionally well- preserved cruck trusses of probably a 3-bay C16 hall-house. Both trusses have a saddle. Gable truss has mortice holes in soffit of collar, where timber wall studs formerly ran to lower tie beam. Mortice holes in the cruck blades of the opposing ‘open' truss show that it originally had a collar. Two tiers of trenched purlins. Ground floor, W wall has blocked window opening with massive oak sill, and signs of a blocked doorway (right).

Reason for designation

C17 stable block, retaining well-preserved and exceptionally rare cruck trusses, which once probably formed part a of a medieval timber framed hall-house.