Barn and Granary Range at Coed-y-dinas

This barn and granary range dates to the late 19th century and was part of Coed-y-dinas, a home farm of the Powis Estate. Plans for rebuilding the farm as “The Earl of Powis’s Model Farm” were drawn up in 1862 and 1870, and while the scheme was not fully realized, a significant portion was constructed in 1872. The engineering work was undertaken by Clayton and Shuttleworth of Lincoln, who likely also acted as architects for the project, designed specifically to house steam driven farm machinery.

The building is constructed of brick with slate roofs. It comprises a nearly symmetrical range including a two-story, five-bay range on either side of a three-story gable, with lower two-bay ranges extending beyond on each side. The central gable features a round-arched doorway on the ground floor, with segmental-headed loading doors and six-pane windows on each floor above. A brick cornice forms an open pediment with a central arched panel corbelled out. The eastern range has a central and outer doorway, with a single window on either side of the central door, and two windows on either side of a first-floor loading door. Openings throughout have chamfered rebates and cambered heads. A single-story range extends beyond with similar openings. The western range has four windows on each floor (including a first-floor loading door) and two doorways (leading to a store room and loose box) beneath a bridge that links the range to cow sheds at a right angle. A probable coach house, containing a wide segmental doorway, is located alongside a loose box to the left. The north elevation, facing away from the yard, is also symmetrically arranged, with the tall central gable and advanced outer gables. A round-arched opening is present in the central gable, and a segmentally arched loading door with flanking windows is above. Diamond brick vents are visible at ground and first-floor levels. Decorative brick work is present in the gable apex, mirroring the south elevation. The outer gables have wide ground floor openings—round-arched to the west gable, and a sliding door with a segmental relieving arch to the east—flanked by diamond vents, with an oculus in each gable apex. An engine house, featuring a hipped, louvred roof, occupies the space between the central and west gables, with a central doorway and radial glazing to round arched flanking windows. The remains of a chimney angles off the west gable.

The interior features heavy ceilings with scissor bracing to close-spaced joists, but axial beams in the western range. King-post trusses splay to the roofs. Remains of line-shafting are still present.

This is an impressive example of late 19th century model-farm architecture and an important illustration of design and engineering principles for high-farming.