Barn at Dolgun Uchaf

Cadw's description

Location

Sited above the River Wnion below the A470 and reached by a farm track off the S side of the road to Clywedog from alongside the service station E of the town.

History

Hall house of cl500 incorporating a large three bay hall between an open parlour at the dais end and a small floored-over service area at the passage end. Later modified by the addition of a lateral chimney to the hall and an end chimney to the parlour. During the Cl9 the passage end declined into use as a cartshed with a granary over and the rest was ceiled over. For detailed analysis see reference.

Exterior

Whitewashed rubble masonry. Moderately pitched slate roof, plain eaves, deep verges. Tall square rendered stone stack to right end, rendered lateral stack to front, slated offsets and gablets, water tabling. 2ástorey, 2 window farmhouse. 2 light casement windows set under eaves, similar to ground floor larger to right, stone lintels. Round arched doorway, stone voussoirs, half glazed door. Lean-to outshot to right, whitewashed rubble, slate roof, Rubble stack, 2 light window, plank door, stone lintels. Lateral stack to left, out window to left. Stone stair to granary obscures original cross passage door. Granary door under eaves, plank door. Loading door to left over cambered cartshed entry. Lean-to cartshed adjoins in line to left, rubble masonry, slate roof. Loft door and cartshed entry, timber lintels.
Modern rubble scullery lean-to to rear, slate roof, tall rendered brick stack; modern door, 2 light window.

Early Cl8 barn adjoins at right angles to right on rear. Rubble masonry, steeply pitched quarry slate roof, plain eaves, deep verges. opposite doorways to top end. Gable end rebuilt. Through purlin collared trusses, mostly repaired, tie beam alongside threshing floor. Lofted cowhouse to downhill end originally. Storage bay lower than threshing floor with sillbeam.

Lofted Cl9 stable adjoins E end of house. Coursed rubble masonry. Moderately pitched quarry slate roof, plain eaves, close verges. Loft doorway under eaves, plank door. Split stable door to ground floor right, deep stone lintel. Tackroom and loosebox in outshot to rear. Timber stalls, Cl9 collared truss.

Interior

Heavy stop chamfered plank and muntin dais partition. Original doorway with ogee doorhead, early 3 plank door.
Stop chamfered ceiling beams to former service rooms at E end. Stop chamfered bressumer to end fireplace. Lateral fireplace partly blocked. Screens partition continues through lst floor.
Interior of cartshed may have evidence of original fenestration. Original doorways of cross passage, round arched, stone voussoirs.
7 bay roof. Through purlin arch braced collar trusses, upper struts, cusped to 2 trusses over former open hall, chamfering. Straight wind braces to original purlins throughout.

Reason for designation

A very important house with substantial late medieval work and its complete roof structure. It is mentioned in early Cl6 Welsh poetry. (Peniarth MS 287).