Cow-house with adjoining cart-shed S of Fodwen

Cadw's description

Location

Located directly opposite and to the S of Fodwen Farmhouse. The front faces N.

History

Probably C18 and contemporary with the estate farmhouse. Shown on the tithe map of 1839. A cart-shed bay was added later, probably in the C19.

Exterior

Long 4-bay cow-house of rubble stone under a slate roof. Three doorways to front, asymmetrically arranged and with timber lintels. Plain doorway to L; raised doorway to L of centre reached by stone steps and containing split doors. To the R is a 2nd raised doorway, reached by a ramp. Loft hatch openings above L doorway and between central and R doorways, the former boarded over. Small stone lean-to with corrugated roof added to R end of front. Added cart-shed bay to L end has wide opening with iron lintel and ventilation slit to L; loft hatch above, boarded over. W gable end has loft hatch and is partly rebuilt in brick. Rear mostly not seen but has a catslide lean-to.

Interior

The ramped entrance leads to the stalls which occupy the 2 bays to the R. The stalls are divided by wood planked partitions at right angles to the line of the building. There is a feed passage along the rear wall of the building and a manure passage at the front. The roof consists of pegged tie-beam trusses with struts, the loft mainly missing. Small lean-to at front may have been a calf pen. External raised doorway to L of centre leads into a bay with rear doorway further R and wood planked partition to R-hand side with 2 doorways. These lead to the feed and manure passages. The L external doorway leads into a loose-box, with opposing doorway to rear and manger along R-hand wall; the loft floor is supported by uncut timber.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine example of a C18 cow-house, the working arrangement little altered and with good internal detail. Group value with Fodwen Farmhouse.