Barn at Old Vicarage (including attached granary and stores)

Cadw's description

Location

The barn is located immediately NE of the Old Vicarage, with a forecourt to the end of the lane, all within the bend of the River Wye.

History

The barn is a later medieval structure, possibly C15, used by tradition for the housing of vicarial tithes, but possibly needed by St Peter's Abbey, Gloucester, to whom Glasbury was awarded by Bernard de Neufmarché as 'first fruit' of his initial invasion of Brycheiniog in 1088. The added 2-storey store and granary at the W end was converted in the C20 to a studio and workshop below.

Exterior

Of selected roughly coursed sandstone rubble, whitewashed, comprising a 3-bay barn with a central cartway, the W bay partly timber framed and weatherboarded over a raised stone wall approximately 1.5m high. Full height boarded doors on N; single wide door on S with re-used lintel. Flagged (1986) floor. Reconstructed stone slated roof. Lean-to stores against the E gable, also stone slated, probably at one time serving as pig-sties, with an irregular rectangular cobbled yard surrounded by walls approximately 1.2m high, with an opening at the N end. The yard drains to a central gully. The two-storey bay at the W end is of continuous build with the barn, perhaps contemporary, but the stone slated roof set slightly higher. Boarded door and 2-light window. On the end elevation stone steps give access to the upper floor, now the studio

Interior

Two pairs of crucks, one on the W of full height, with low elbow, trenched for a tie beam (missing) and collar, both triple pegged, an outrider carrying the lower of two tiers of purlins, and stub-tie to wall plate. The apex is tenoned and cut off for the half-tree ridge which has a bridled joint. The lap joint for the tie is a notched bare-face dovetail with large centre pivot peg, and two toshed fixing pegs, the cruck couples both erected into the centre bay. The second truss has had similar crucks, but is now cut back by a high-set tie beam. Two-storey bay at W end has an internal stone stack on the dividing wall backing on to the barn.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* on account of is surviving medieval construction together with its close association with the Grade I Old Vicarage, within the Conservation Area.