Corn Drying Kiln 130m E of Mirianog-Ganol

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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

The monument consists of the remains of a corn drying kiln, a building used for drying corn or oats prior to grinding, and dating to the medieval period. It stands at the edge of the unenclosed common land on the north side of the Preseli Mountains. It is of an oval shape measuring c. 11m north to south and 9m east to west with the entrance to the flue at its northern end. The exterior is revetted by field boulders laid as drystone, larger boulders arranged around the entrance of the flue. It stands up to 1.2m high and the earth and stone bank is flat-topped and up to 2.5m wide. At its centre is an oval-shaped depression, measuring 3m N-S and 2m E-W. The flue which is is c. 0.7m wide and 0.4m high is formed by boulders and drystone walling, roofed with stone slabs. There is a shallow outer quarry ditch c 2.5m wide on the east and west sides.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement and agricultural practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques, together with a strong probability of environmental evidence. A corn drying kiln may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

This structure stands at the edge of the unenclosed common land on the north side of the Preseli Mountains. It is of an oval shape measuring c. 11m N-S and 9m E-W with the entrance to the flue at its northern end. The exterior is revetted by field boulders laid as drystone. The larger boulders around the entrance of the flue. It stands up to 1.2m high and the earth and stone bank is flat-topped and up to 2.5m wide. At its centre is an oval-shaped depression, measuring 3m N-S and 2m E-W. The flue is formed by boulders and drystone walling, roofed with stone slabs. One slab is in situ, one slab lies across the entrance and one in the interior. The flue is c. 0.7m wide and 0.4m high. The two larger stones are placed upright, one in the NW corner and one alongside the flue. Apart from some reddening of the stones there is no evidence for intense burning. There is a shallow outer quarry ditch c 2.5m wide on the E and W sides. (1)

Field corn drying kilns were once very common in Wales, where they were used to dry grain, normally oats, before storage. Documentary evidence and the excavated example at Collfryn, Montgomeryshire show that they were in use from the 14th to early 19th century. Well preserved examples are now very rare, as most have been lost in field clearance and cultivation.(2)