Long Barn at Pencoed Castle

Cadw's description

Location

To N of Pencoed Castle and the adjacent farmhouse; closing E side of cobbled farmyard. Pencoed is 1km E of Llanmartin and 1km S of Llandevaud; reached along private drive from by-road off B4245.

History

C16 origins with later, possibly C17 enlargement; restoration dated 1879. Pencoed Castle is a moated site incorporating largely C16 manorhouse with fine gatehouse; earlier curtain walling retained; partly ruinous.

Exterior

Exceptionally long rubble barn with quoins and thick walls; modern tiled roof, undulating at N end. The whole structure comprises 2, in-line threshing barns serving the large estate farm and a projecting two-storey cross-range at S end including granary and cowhouse. The N half is narrower and independently roofed. The earlier parts are to the S end; includes depressed and chamfered arched doorway flanked by rectangular windows with dressed stone surrounds; to the right the taller gable end of the storied range has outside stairs (? goose nest to base) and timber framed window beside loft door. Three window S end has three-light timber-framed windows (one blocked) and relieving arches over doorways (two blocked); cart entrance on E gable end. Both parts have slit ventilators and full height barn-door openings on both sides; off-centre to N part and now with modern doors; E side has square-headed doorway opposite late medieval one on W side.

Interior

The king post roof structure of the southern barn is dated 1879 while the northern barn re-uses old timbers and was partly lofted; divided up by stone partitions. Cambered heads with voussoirs to splays of the slit ventilators. Cross-range retains loft.