Pig rearing unit at Braint

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the SE side of the B5420 on its southern approach to the village of Penmynydd; c2km SE of the church of St Gredifael. The pig-rearing unit is on the left as the farmstead is approached.

History

Purpose-built pig rearing unit, probably mid-late C19 in date, built to supplement the smaller traditional pigsty situated nearer the farmyard. Not shown of Tithe Map of 1843. A central boiling house, for preparing pigswill, is flanked by low pigsty units of the 'in-and-out' (sty and yard) type; a single breeding unit to the W with 2 fattening units to the E.

Exterior

Pig rearing unit, comprising a central boiling house flanked by pigsties (1 unit to the W, 2 units to the E). Rubble walls with widely slobbered mortar, slate lintels. Brick chimney to N gable. Slate roof with grey ridge tiles; every 4th tile is raised for ventilation. Entrance to boiling house via S gable elevation; doorway to R with window to L. Second doorway to N gable wall, with boarded door. The pigsties are gabled and of similar construction to the boiling house. The 1-unit sty to the W has a stone yard wall with 3 brick and slate feeder troughs set into each of the two open sides. The sty has a small boarded door/hole in the W gable leading to a hen loft over the sty. The range to the E of the boiling house is a double unit, each with 3 feeder troughs set into the rear wall.

Interior

The boiling house is 2 bays, with a central collared truss of sawn softwood, limewashed.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of purpose-built pig rearing unit, larger in scale than those typically found on Anglesey farmsteads, reflecting the local importance of pig rearing in the later C19. The building also forms part of the complete farmstead group at Braint, together with the nearby farmhouse and agricultural range.