Barn and Cowhouse at Pwllyrhwaid Farm

Cadw's description

Location

About 1km west of Llanover village approached up a track off the east side of the minor road to Upper Llanover.

History

Probably early C18 and built together as a separate barn and cowhouse demonstrating a large and rich farm. Large and small later extensions.

Exterior

Built of whitened local rubblestone with stone slate roofs. A threshing barn with large in-line granary and a cowhouse built at right angles to the other end of the barn. Later lean-to shed on barn gable end. Large threshing barn with paired central openings and three tall slit vents on either side of the opening. Plain roof, slightly raised over doorway. To the right, steps up to gabled granary door, then a window into a further part, possibly a stable with hayloft over, but this is entered from the rear. Right gable wall with hayloft taking-in door.
Left gable with lean-to shed with corrugated iron roof. Four-slit vent in gable above and owl hole in apex.
Rear has integral cowhouse wing with four original doorways and hayloft with four rooflights over.

Interior

Only the interior of the barn was seen at resurvey. The structure demonstrates that the cowhouse is integral, while the granary is an extension, since there are two tiers of slit vents and an owl hole in the gable wall. This suggests that there would have been a hayloft at the end of the barn before the granary was built. The barn has a 5-bay principal rafter roof with collars and ties, two tiers of trenched purlins and secondary rafters all complete.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a probably early C18 combination farm building which is little altered and is now quite a rarity for its date and type.