193

 

II  

Designated  

30/01/1968  

22/07/1998  

C-shaped Agricultural Range at Melai  

 

Conwy  

Llanfair Talhaiarn  

 

Melai  

290092  

367705  

 

Located to the W of the main farm group at Melai, on the W side of the Nant Melai.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

Early C19 carthouse with adjoining barn, built as part of a large farm group, apparently c1804 to serve Melai. This 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.  

C-shaped, single-storey agricultural range of local rubble construction with slated roofs and tiled ridges. The range consists of a 4-bay gabled carthouse block to the N and a barn to the S, with a low connecting cart-bay block linking the two to the W. The carthouse block has 4 segmentally-arched openings to its N face, with rough-dressed voussoirs. The lower adjoining range has 4 plain openings and a modern corrugated iron pentise lean-to in front. The barn section, although adjacent, is technically separated from the two former ranges, though is linked to them by the pentise. It has a large, full-height entrance to its S side, with modern boarded door; to the L is a tall ventilation slit and on the W gable end is a loading bay.  

The interior was not inspected at the time of survey.  

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.