Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
192
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
30/01/1968
Date of Amendment
22/07/1998
Name of Property
Barn Range at Melai
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Conwy
Community
Llanfair Talhaiarn
Town
Locality
Melai
Easting
290138
Northing
367719
Street Side
Location
Facing the rear of the Stable and Coach-house range at Melai, and closing one side of a service courtyard.
Description
Broad Class
Agriculture and Subsistence
Period
History
Barn range built apparently in 1804 to serve Melai, and contemporary with the stable and coach-house range which it faces. Melai was an important seat in the early medieval period and was the ancestral home of the Wynnes of Melai and Maenan Abbey; from this house descended the Wynnes of Garthewin and the Lords Newborough of Rug. Melai produced High Sheriffs for Denbighshire in 1577, 1586, 1614, 1637 and finally 1712; thereafter Melai appears to have been tenanted.
Exterior
Long rectangular barn range of 2 storeys; of local rubble construction with C19 graded slate roof, hipped at the ends. Irregular openings; the L part has a large segmentally-arched opening with dressed voussoirs, containing a lower C20 entrance with 8-pane overlight. Flanking this on 2 levels are ventilation slits, 3 to the L and 2 to the R. R of this are 2 segmentally-arched entrances, that to the L now reduced to a modern window and that to the R with stable doors. Between these openings is a first-floor entrance, arched as before with a modern metal stair access. To the R are 3 further former entrances, of which the central one retains stable doors; those flanking are reduced and have modern window insertions, as before. Three further primary openings to the first floor, the central one with boarded shutter and the flanking ones blocked-up.
Adjoining the range at the E end, and set at right-angles with it, is a short section of high curved wall which, together with a mirrored section adjoining the stable/coach-house range opposite forms an enclosing screen wall to the courtyard, in 2 sections with central entrance; this is probably a mid C19 addition. The high parapet wall curves inwards where there is a flat buttress pier. Behind the wall is a 2-bay single-storey lean-to with modern openings.
Interior
Original King post roof trusses to the barn section (at L); the remainder was not inspected at the time of survey.
Reason for designation
Listed for its special historic and architectural interest as part of a particularly fine early C19 agricultural group.
Group value with other listed items at Melai.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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