Cow-house at Cwm Biga

Long 6-door lofted range of random stone under a renewed slate roof. Stone plinth, some of the doorways reached by steps. The doorways are of irregular size and contain split doors; 3 timber lintels, 2 concrete lintels and a slate lintel to R end. There are boarded loft hatches above the 2nd, 4th and 6th doorways from the L. Against the E gable end is a lean-to of random stone with single doorway; the gable above is slate-hung. Breeze block quoins to SW angle, with barn adjoining W gable end and slightly set back. Rear, partly visible, has ventilation slits.

The interior of this range contains 2 double cow-bays alternating with hay sheds, with a stable to L end and calf-pen to R end. The stable was for working horses and has 3 stalls set at right-angles with manger and hayrack; these were reconstructed in the late C20. Original cobble floor; tie-beam truss partly reconstructed. The 2nd doorway from the L leads into a hay shed, whilst the 3rd doorway leads into a double cow-bay with central manure passage. This was flanked by rows of cattle aligned back-to-back, 6 to each row; the mangers are still present. There were no feed passages, the cattle fed from the hay sheds. The floors are of cobbled stone, the manure passage slightly set down and with timber edging. The ceiling has a roughly sawn cross-beam and plain joists. The 4th doorway leads into a hay shed with hayracks to L side, whilst the 5th doorway leads into a double cow-bay as 3rd doorway. The 6th doorway leads into a 3rd hay shed which had calf-pens to the R end, latterly in the lean-to; this bay is open to the roof, the tie-beam truss re-used and with unmatched carpenter's marks and peg holes; it is said to have been infilled with wattle and daub originally. The other tie-beam trusses were not visible but are said to contain reused timbers including parts of cruck blades.