Barn at Pen y bryn

Cadw's description

Location

Parallel to the house, facing it across a small yard.

History

As a former aisled hall, the house of Pen y bryn may well date from the C15. The barn associated with it contains a single surviving cruck truss which may suggest that it too has early origins (though more probably C16). Other elements of timber-framing are later in character, and the building has been partially reconstructed in stone, with detail suggesting a later C19 date for substantial remodelling. Some late C20 internal alterations.

Exterior

Small barn. Local rubble stone (the small size suggesting field clearance or quarry waste), to rear and upper gable end, and to plinth elsewhere. Traces of timber-framing on front wall (now largely opened out and with 3 wide double doorways), and over plinth to lower gable, where it is clad in corrugated iron. Artificial slate roof. Rear elevation has small lean-to extension towards right (down-hill side), with three doorways in the long wall above it, and one below giving access to the lower storage bay. The openings (and that in the lean-to itself) all have cambered brick heads; plank doors are recent, though in traditional style. Small loading door to loft in upper gable.

Interior

3 bay interior; the upper bay now partitioned off. Cruck truss between central and upper bay, with tie beam, and king-post to slightly cambered collar. Traces of partition, with two posts below the tie-beam, and sill. Queen-post and collar truss between central and lower bays, with remains of partition including central post, and sill beam on stone plinth. Elements of framing to front wall survive, including jowled wall-post associated with this central truss, though the tie-beam rests on the stone wall to the rear. Two tiers of purlins and ridge beam. Lower gable end is also timber-framed, and has queen-strut truss; lapped vertical boarding as cladding. The lower bay is stepped down to accommodate to the sloping ground, and only accessed via external rear doorway. Upper bay partitioned and storeyed (though probably originally lofted), with modern glazing with timber mullions to front wall.

Reason for designation

Listed primarily for group value with the house at Pen y bryn, and as the substantial remains of an early farm-building retaining a cruck truss and other elements of a timber-framed structure.