Agricultural range at Ty Hen Newydd

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the E side of the B5111 on the southern approach to the village of Llanerchymedd; the curved agricultural range is directly behind (E) of the farmhouse.

History

Mid-late C19 planned farm range, with some late C19 or early C20 re-modelling, and late C20 refurbishment. The farm range forms a semi-circle, with a free-standing boiling house and pigsty range in the centre point, fronted by a centrally positioned farmhouse, the whole forming a symmetrical arrangement. In the centre of the range is a corn barn with granary over, with cowhouses and stables in the wings either side, and a cart or implement shed at either end. The farmstead was built by the Plas Newydd estate to replace the original farmstead, known as 'Ty Hen' (the site of which is in the neighbouring field). 'Ty Hen' is recorded in the Tithe Schedule of the parish, 1841, as being a holding of over 19 acres, owned by The Marquis of Anglesey and farmed by Owen Jones. In the late C19 or early C20 the range was re-modelled to allow for the installation of new machinery in the range to R; a lean-to was built to house an (oil?) engine, and a doorway blocked, with a second partly blocked to allow passage of the drive belt. The machines probably included threshers, chaffers, pulpers and choppers. The corn barn was converted into a stable for working horse at around the same time.

Exterior

Agricultural range, symmetrically built to a semi-circular ground plan (though in straight sections), with a lofted (former) 3-bay corn-barn to the central part, flanked by single-storey wings, with a 1-bay cartshed either end. The range is formed of straight sections of random stone walling; shallow stone arches to openings with dressed stone voussoirs. Slate roofs with tiled ridge, hipped over the end cart bays, gabled to the central lofted barn. The cart bays either end have shallow stone arches with dressed stone voussoirs. Windows are modern metal-framed casements, with boarded doors to some doors. The openings of the wing to L are arranged: DWDWWD (the windows are all blocked doors). The openings are flanked by tall ventilation slits, some partly infilled. Single pane skylights to front pitch. The rear elevation has a blocked door to R and a boarded door to L. The lofted corn barn to the centre of the range has a three-quarter width door to L, to the former corn barn, flanked by tall ventilation slits, now mostly infilled. To the R is an external stone stair leading to a boarded granary door set under the eaves, with granary window to L. At the R end of this higher central barn range is a narrow door. The corn barn was converted into a stable for working horses after the installation of threshing machinery to the R part of the range in the late C19 or early C20. The R wing of the range is more altered, with the major openings now arranged: DWDWW. A brick lean-to against the inner side of the range was built in the late C19 or early C20 to house an engine (probably oil-powered); the drive belt passed into the range through narrow, brick lined slit in the wall, made by narrowing an opening, to a driveshaft connected to machines for threshing, chaffing and chopping.

Interior

The end cart bays are separated from the main part of the wings by stone walls; the remainder of the wings are inter-connecting, though the corn barn is only accessible from the yard. The roof trusses are sawn and bolted collared trusses, with a single kingpost with struts truss in each wing. The wing to the R has a driveshaft with belt wheels attached to one wall, formerly driven by an engine located in the brick lean-to outside. The corn barn to centre was converted into a stable for working horses in the late C19 or early C20; the timber posts for the stalls survive.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good mid-late C19 estate-built agricultural range, which forms part of the planned farmstead group at Ty Hen Newydd. Both the symmetrical plan of the farmstead and the quality of the detailing in the buildings suggest the use of architectural pattern books by the larger, progressive estates in the C19.