Former malthouse at Upper House Farm, including retaining wall to front

Cadw's description

Location

Located immediately behind the farmhouse. Set into the hillside at its upper end.

History

C17 in origin, altered in the mid C19. A detached kitchen, or possibly a Dower or jointure house, later converted to stables and small scale malting kiln. Conversion to agricultural use contemporary with the construction of the cartshed alongside. The surviving physical evidence makes its original use uncertain.

Exterior

Coursed grey pennant rubble masonry, front wall largely rebuilt. Eaves raised to give gently pitched corrugated metal sheet roof; this would have been done when the roof convering was changed from thatch to stone tiles. Stone stack to right end, with water tabling for thatch. Small loft window to left above original eaves level. Later doorways to front elevation. That to right on site of original doorway. Broad plank doors, timber lintels; dripstones over. Rear elevation with later C19 window to right. This wall has evidence of two blocked doorways and of the roof having been raised; the end of the tie beam projects through the wall and has been cut off.
Rubble retaining wall at right angle to front incorporates stone lined spring. Good cobbled yard to front with stone lined drainage channels.

Interior

Interior subdivided by later rubble wall, original ceiling beam. Loft over downhill end. Broad original fireplace to upslope end, chamfered bressumer. Bread oven set into rear wall. Early C19 rubble malting kiln inserted alongside fireplace. Stoking hole to base at front, grating to top. Four strut tie beam truss made up of re-used C17 truss timbers.

Reason for designation

Included as a rare example of a possible dower house or a detached kitchen, having a later use as a malt kiln. It also has important group value with the farmhouse and the other listed buildings in the farmyard.