Coed Llynor long hut

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a building, probably dating to the late-medieval or post-medieval periods and situated in enclosed rough upland pasture on a small terrace in the base of Cwm Llynor. The building is subrectangular on plan and measures 5.7m from NW to SE by 2.5m transversely within drystone rubble walls measuring 0.9m in thickness and up to 1.4m in height. An entrance is visible within the SW side; an internal aumbry is present within the SE end, flanked in either corner by small alcoves that may represent cruck slots; and what may be the remains of a central fireplace is visible. A byre or fold has been built onto the NE end of the building, measuring 5.9m from NW to SE by 3.7m transversely within drystone rubble walls measuring up to 0.7m in thickness and 1.2m in height. This structure may represent a later unroofed sheepfold and contains within its floor a large flat boulder. A small external structure has been built against the NE side of the hut; this structure may represent a small store. It measures 1.9m in length by 1.9m transversely within low grass covered walls 1m in thickness and up to 0.5m in height. Although it may have seen later reuse as a sheepfold, the building remains a well-preserved example of a long hut and presumably represents the remains of a seasonal hafotai.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post medieval land use, settlement and economy. It is a well preserved example of an upland settlement and retains great archaeological potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post medieval stock rearing practices in the upland zone, whether as permanent settlement, regular transhumance (such as the hafod system of summer pasture), or intermittent opportunistic expansion. Its importance is enhanced by its topographical proximity to (and perhaps association with) a further well-preserved long hut (DE306), situated on the slopes above and to the N.

The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is rectangular and measures 30m from WNW to ESE by 24m transversely.