Barn Range at Wern-y-cwm

Cadw's description

Location

On the lower slopes of the Skirrid, some 2km NW of Llanvetherine village, at the end of a single track road which runs N off the B4521.

History

A probably mid C17 corn barn, enlarged in 1831 when E porch was added, with further additions in the later C19.

Exterior

Farm building range consisting of large barn and attached farm buildings. Rubble stone, with slate roof and some brick dressings. Great barn has central threshing floor with large opposing gabled porches on each side. Porch to E has roundel in upper gable and datestone inscribed 'JI 1831'; wide segmental arch of stone voussoirs to cartshed entry, and boarded half doors. Each side of porch, front walls of the barn have two tiers of two slit ventilators on each side but these are obscured by the attached farm buildings. Attached to N is a stable and to S a single-storey pigsty with a stone walled front yard. Attached to the N gable of the barn is a full-height extension with stables on ground floor and above a half-timbered loft, now faced with vertical boarding. Barn rear elevation has porch with similar segmental arched cart entry and boarded half-doors. N wall of porch has blocked C17 3-light diamond mullion with dripstone. Long walls each side have tall ventilation slits. To left are two vent slits, then a blocked ground-floor doorway and (above) boarded door to pitching loft. To right, three vent slits are enclosed by C19 lean-to shelter shed. Attached to the S of the barn is a U-plan courtyard range: on N and E sides are single storey hammels with broad segmental arched brick openings facing an open yard, with remains of an earlier stone barn enclosing yard at extreme S end.

Interior

Roof of five bays. Trusses with tie beams and raking queen struts; three tiers of purlins. Flagged threshing floor with transverse stone sill wall at lower end. From the interior, a blocked ovolo mullion window is visible in the upper N gable. A beam spanning the E porch has mortice holes which suggest that it once formed either the lintel or sill of a diamond mullion window, possibly re-used from an earlier timber-framed house at Wern-y-cwm.

Reason for designation

Listed as a substantial and well-preserved C17 barn, with interesting C19 additions. Group value with the farmhouse at Wern-y-cwm.