20921

 

II  

Designated  

24/11/1998  

24/11/1998  

Courtyard of farm buildings at Manorafon  

 

Carmarthenshire  

Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen  

Llandeilo  

Bethlehem Road  

265311  

223717  

 

Situated some 3 km NE of Ffairfach, on N side of road to Llangadog, by River Tywi.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

Late C18 or early C19 (pre 1807), model farm complex with buildings surrounding a square courtyard, and also with a centre building (listed separately). Manorafon was a gentry estate owned in 1749 by Thomas Thomas, agent to the Edwinsford estate, and called Manervabon. The Thomas family were occupants in the late C18. In 1807 John M'Clary of 8 Hart Street, London, and William M'Clary of Manervabon advertised the estate for sale as a good family house with stables, coach-house, walled garden and 'a complete farm-yard adjoining, consisting of a Barn, Granary, Dairy, Stabling for 6 horses, Sheds for 20 head of cattle, and Dog Kennel'. Colonel McLary was occupant in 1810, but by 1840 it was owned by the Pugh family. D.H. Pugh M.P. reroofed and extended the complex in 1861. Sometime before 1840 the old house was demolished and Greenhill, a house S of the road, was enlarged as the main seat, and renamed Crymlyn Manor. The complex is marked on the 1841 Tithe Map.  

Four sided farm court, rubble stone with slate hipped roofs. Four sides, the two principal ranges the entrance range to W and the barn range to E, both originally partly lofted, with lower single-storey cow-sheds on N and S. A later C19 cart-shed range has been added running W from the SW corner. W front is lofted with 7 square loft windows (one concealed by later C19 addition), and raised gable over centre window with roundel. On main ridge behind gable is octagonal lantern with lead roof and cockerel weather-vane. C20 slats to sides. Centre ground floor cambered-headed entry to broad throughway, similar broad arch blocked to left, and two similar to right obscured by C20 sliding door. Door at extreme left. All openings with stone voussoirs. Throughway is cobbled with plank door to S. Courtyard side (probably stabling) is 5-bay, similar gable, loft windows and through-arch, but window, door and window to right; door, added door, window and window, door, window to left. All original openings with stone voussoirs. S range of cowsheds has had front wall removed in C20 and replaced in timber slats. One original door survives each end. E barn range is hipped with tall cambered-arched barn door to centre and symmetrical arrangement each side of vent loop, broad cambered cart-entry and then door with loft door over. Vent-loop to left of barn door is enlarged, and cart-entries are blocked with inserted door. Rear of barn has centre projection with cambered arch. N range appears to have been cow-house; three doors visible, right side obscured by C20 addition. Later C19 cart-shed range added at SW has slate roof hipped at W end. N front of rock-faced stone with 5 cambered-arched entries, stone voussoirs and keystones also rock-faced.  

C19 tie-beam and collar roofs generally, with wishbone struts, one in S range dated DP 1861. In W range the original main principals survive. 9 bay roof S of throughway, one bay roof to throughway and 8 bays to N. Some 16 bays to S range, with 4 windows on rear wall. Barn range has later roofs and remains of belt-driven machinery. Added SW cart-shed has undivided interior with 10-bay roof.  

Included despite alteration to S side as a very rare example of a complete enclosed farm complex of c1800.