Barn, granary and former cart house and stables (Odyn-y-Graig) at Pen-y-Graig Farm

Cadw's description

Location

On the S side of the farmhouse.

History

Probably built in the early C19 and shown in its original form on the 1839 Tithe map. A stables and cart house were subsequently added at the S end and lofted granary and cart house at the N end. Given that there are two cart houses it seems likely that these additions were not made at the same time, but the building is shown in its present form on the 1880 OS map. Post 1945 the barn was used as a milking parlour, and in the late C20 the stables and cart house were converted to a dwelling (Odyn y Graig).

Exterior

Built of locally-quarried limestone rubble under a slate roof, the barn has a lofted granary and cart house at the N end, and lofted stables and cart house at R angles at the S end. The barn has winnowing doors rather than wagon bays. Doorway in the E wall to the yard has a brick segmental head, flanked by loft loading doors under the eaves, and with another segmental-headed doorway on the R-hand side. Further R are external stone steps, incorporating a kennel, to the granary doorway, which is a boarded door beneath the eaves, with another opening to its R. Below is a wide timber lintel to the former cart house, but the opening has since been infilled with stonework and narrower boarded door.

In the W wall of the barn the winnowing door is integrated with a loading door above, and is flanked by further loading doors and vent strips. To the L of the doorway is a corrugated-iron lean-to that houses a motor installed post 1945 to power the milking machinery. Detached from the building is the stone slab that bore the axle of a horse engine that is marked on the 1880 OS map. To the L of the barn there is a visible break in the masonry between barn and granary/cart house. The rear of the granary has a loft opening, below which is a doorway to the cart house.

The stables and cart house block is set at R angles to the barn, giving an overall L-shaped plan. Originally a lofted farm building, it is now a 2-storey house with modern windows, most of which have been inserted in original openings. There is a clear break in the masonry that shows the extent of the original barn. The former cart house projects on the E side of the barn and forms the S side of the farmyard. In its N wall are 2 wide cart bays with flattened arches, and a window and a doorway under segmental heads, all with stone voussoirs, below 3 former loft openings now converted to windows. A further loft opening converted is in the E gable end, under a stone segmental head, and in the S wall is a window below the eaves. A lower projection from the S wall was originally open-fronted to the E side but has been blocked and has modern door and window. In its gable end there is blocked loft opening under a timber lintel. To the L of this projection the former stables has modern brick-arched windows in its S wall and W gable end, and modern roof lights, but there is a stone segmental-headed former loft opening in the gable end.

Interior

Inside the barn vent strips are visible in the original gable ends. The barn has a 3-bay roof with tie beam and raking struts, and 2 purlins, with additional support provided by a single central post. The threshing floor is laid with slate slabs. The stables and cart house has been converted to a house, but the roof has trusses with cambered collar beams.

Reason for designation

Listed as a substantial and well-preserved barn of the early C19, with later additions and notwithstanding partial conversion to a house, and for group value with the farmhouse and other associated listed items.