Agricultural range at Plas Cemlyn

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the S side of the country road running along the N coast of the island at Cemlyn Bay. The farmstead at Plas Cemlyn is located c1km SE of the Church of St Rhywydrys, the range lies across the yard from the farmhouse.

History

Agricultural range with cross wings to S and N. The central part of the range incorporates an early C18 corn barn to the S; the remaining parts of the range were built in 1885 by the Bodorgan estate (slate plaque '1885' over 'GM', for George Meyrick). The later range is contemporary with the nearby hammels and hammel yard. The corn barn is not shown on the Tithe map; however the map for this parish does not include any farm buildings. The farm is recorded in the Tithe schedule as being owned by Owen John Augustus Fuller Meyrick Esq. who owned a number of farms in the Cemlyn area at the time. The farm was quite extensive, over 63 acres(25.5 hectares) and was run by Catherine Jones. The farm buildings were comprehensively re-built in 1885, including a new cowhouse, stable and granary-cartshed range, built in line with the existing C18 corn barn, with end wings, and a separate hammel range. The farmhouse was also extended by the addition of the horse-powered dairy; the wall encircling the horse works in the angle between the house and dairy is extant.

Exterior

Long single storey agricultural range with long cross wing to S end and 2-storey side wing to N end. The central range incorporates an early C18 corn barn to the S with an added in line range consisting of a tackroom, stable, feedroom and loose box. The cross wing to the S consists of (from E-W); a loosestall to the end part, with a long cowhouse to the central part, with a smaller cowhouse, and a feedroom at the W end. The N range is a 3-bay lofted cartshed. The earlier corn barn has rubble walls with segmental rubblestone voussoir openings to narrow opposed doors, with ventilation slits either side (that to the L opened into a small window); grouted slate roof. The 1885 buildings in line have rubble walls and cambered brick heads to the openings; the ridge is offset, and slightly lower than the corn barn. Five skylights inserted along the E pitch. Boarded stable doors. The door to the former tackroom and stable, to the R of the corn barn, has been widened (with modern sliding door). The long cowhouse range to the S has rubble walls with brick voussoir heads, and a slate roof with sheet glass rooflights. Stable doors to N wall; two to the E side of the cornbarn, and one to the W. The granary-cartshed to the N end of the range is a handsome building with 3 cart bays (facing N) and 2 lofts, one a granary and one for labourers. Roofline at a higher level than the attached central range. Stone staircase to either gable end. Boarded window set under eaves to R loft (rear). The 3 cart bays are arranged asymmetrically, with two set together on the L side, and the 3rd spaced further to the R. Flat-headed basket arches with brick voussoirs; boarded double doors. Slate plaque with 'GM' over '1885' over central bay, for George Meyrick of Bodorgan estate, former owners of the farm.

Interior

The corn barn is 3-bays with a collared truss of hewn timbers, that to the R (N) has been re-inforced with a second truss. The roof trusses on the other agricultural buildings are all sawn and bolted kingposts with struts. The loose stall in the cowhouse wing has internal partitions and timber hay racks. The long cowhouse has stalls ranged along the building length, with a feed passage behind.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good and complete agricultural range, principally of late C19 date, although with an early C18 corn barn embedded within the main range, and which forms an important part of the farmstead group at Plas Cemlyn.