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Building survey
December 2004
GGAT report no. 2004/119
Project no. A965
A report for The Celtic Manor Resorts National Grid Reference:
by Martin Tuck ST 3565 9115
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Contents Page
Summary 2
Acknowledgments 2
Copyright notice 2
1 Introduction 3
1.1 Project background 3
1.2 Site location 3
1.3 Archaeological interest 4
1.4 Historic landscape 5
2 Methodology 7
3 Survey results 8
3.1 General description 8
3.2 External elevations 8
3.3 Internal elevations 10
3.4 The internal division 11
3.5 Roof detail 11
4 Conclusions 13
Bibliography 14
Figures
Figure 1: Location map 3
Figure 2: Little Bulmore Farmhouse and surrounding buildings 4
Figure 3: Plan showing barn building and elevation locations 18
Figure 4: Northwest external elevation 19
Figure 5: Northwest internal elevation 19
Figure 6: Southeast external elevation 20
Figure 7: Southeast internal elevation 20
Figure 8: Northeast elevation 21
Figure 9: Southwest elevation 21
Plates
Plate 1: Northwest elevation 15
Plate 2: Southeast elevation 15
Plate 3: Southwest elevation 15
Plate 4: Northwest internal elevation 16
Plate 5: Southeast internal elevation and raised floor 16
Plate 6: Northeast internal elevation showing blocked doorway 16
Plate 7: Typical ventilation slit in southeast internal wall 17
Plate 8: Southwest elevation showing projecting sandstone 17
Plate 9: General view of the barn to the east 17
Summary
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Planning consent has been granted to Celtic Manor Resorts for an extension to an
existing golf course to accommodate the Ryder Cup tournament in 2010. A new
clubhouse will be constructed based around a 17th-century farmhouse, Little Bulmore
Farm, which is a grade II listed building. A complex of associated historic buildings is
also located around the farm most of which will be demolished during construction
works. One such building to be demolished was a barn possibly contemporaneous
with the house. A scheme was prepared to record the barn to RCHME Level 3
standard before demolition. The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Contracts
Division (GGAT Contracts) was commissioned to undertake the building survey.
The survey recorded the original building as a small, single-storey threshing barn of
rectangular plan with one internal division and through-passage doorways constructed
of undressed roughly coursed local sandstones. Later modern modifications suggest
that the barn was utilised as a general-purpose building. No evidence to support a
17th-century foundation date was discovered. However, the original builders
incorporated stone and brick that almost certainly derived from nearby Roman
buildings.
Recovery of the Roman stonework will add to existing knowledge of the settlement
and it is therefore recommended that an archaeologist is present during demolition
works. This will not only enable the Roman stonework to be assessed and recovered
but will also provide an archaeological watching brief during groundworks that may
elucidate or help determine the foundation date of the barn.
Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to the staff of Celtic Manor Resorts and Hugh Owen and Brian Hutton
of Griffiths, Civil Engineering Contractors. The project was managed by Kate Howell
BSc AIFA and the fieldwork was undertaken by John Burton BA and Martin Tuck of
GGAT Contracts. The report was written by Martin Tuck and the illustrations were
drawn by Paul Jones of the GGAT Illustration department.
Copyright
The copyright of this report is held by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Ltd, which has granted an exclusive licence to Celtic Manor Resorts and their agents
to use and reproduce the information contained within. Ordnance Survey mapping is
reproduced under license AL10005976. Annotations are GGAT copyright.
Abbreviations
Numbers with a letter suffix are Primary Record Numbers (PRN) in the regional Sites
and Monuments record (SMR). Numbers without a suffix are National Primary
Record Numbers (NPRN) of the national monuments Record (NMR).
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
1 Introduction
1.1 Project background
Planning consent, with attached conditions, has been granted to Celtic Manor Resorts
for an extension to an existing golf course to accommodate the Ryder Cup tournament
in 2010 (Application No. 01/0356). A new clubhouse will be constructed based
around Little Bulmore Farm, which has grade II listed building status. A complex of
associated buildings are also located around the farm; these will be demolished or
altered during construction works. One of the attached conditions (No. 17) states: 'No
site work shall be undertaken pursuant to this permission until the implementation of
an appropriate programme of building recording and analysis by a suitably qualified
person has been agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and in accordance
with an agreed written brief and specification'. The building recording specification
(Howell 2004) was drawn up and agreed by the local planning authority. The
specification allowed for a programme of building recording to be carried out at Little
Bulmore Farm. This included a building survey, to RCHME Level 3 standard, of a
threshing barn to the rear of the farmhouse (Howell 2004, building 1, Figure 2). The
Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Contracts Division (GGAT Contracts)
carried out the survey between the 21st and 25th November 2004.
Reproduced from Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale map with the permission of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office,
Crown Copyright. Annotations ©GGAT Ltd, Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 6EL. Licence Number AL10005976
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
The barn, part of the farm complex (building 1, Figure 2), is located on a fairly steep
hillside, which rises sharply towards Mount St Albans and Chepstow Hill behind and
further to the south, whilst to the northeast the buildings overlook the hamlet of Great
Bulmore and the alluvial flood plain of the River Usk; the landscape here is flat and
comprises reclaimed floodplain drained by field ditches and protected from flooding
by banks along the river. The River Usk itself is classified as a Site of Special
Scientific Interest, although this does not extend beyond the riverbanks. The soils on
the floodplain of the Usk are of the Wallasea 2 series, described as: 'Deep stoneless
clayey soils, calcareous in places. Some deep calcareous silty soils'. The soils on the
slopes of Chepstow Hill are of the Eardiston 2 series, described as: 'Well drained
reddish coarse loamy soils over sandstone. Shallow in places, steep slopes and bare
rock locally'. The bedrock in the area comprises Devonian and Permo-Triassic
sandstones (SSEW 1983).
Little
Bulmore
Farmhouse
Stables
Building 2
Building 1
Building 3
Building 4
0 0.3 0.6km
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
with other similar landscapes in south Wales, is drained by a series of grips and reens,
and protected from inundation by a flood bank. This takes the form of a small earthen
bank, between 1m and 1.5m in height, and 2m wide. The fields on the slopes of
Mount St Albans are divided by hedges, which are often set on small earthen banks.
Deeply cut streams flow to the River Usk from the hillslopes.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
2 Methodology
The methodology for the building recording followed that set out by the RCHME
(1996) to Level 3 standard and that required within the building recording
specification (Howell 2004) based on The Institute of Field archaeologists' Standard
and Guidance for the archaeological investigation and recording of standing
buildings or structures 1996 (revised 1999). In order to place the site in its context a
limited desk-based assessment was undertaken based on previous archaeological
investigation in the area. Recording was by detailed measurement and hand drawing
to 1/20 scale of all elevations supplemented by written notes. A plan of the barn was
made at 1/100 scale. Levels are to Ordnance Datum based on a temporary benchmark
located in the access track to Little Bulmore Farm off the Bulmore Road, value
11.900m OD (information supplied Mr Hugh Owen of Griffiths Civil Engineering).
The building was photographed using colour transparency, black and white and
digital photography. The photographic survey included general shots of all elevations
and detailed shots of significant features. The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological
Trust Contracts Division (GGAT Contracts) carried out the survey between the 21st
and 25th November 2004.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
3 Survey Results
3.1 General description
The building is a small, single-storey threshing barn of rectangular plan with one
internal division and through-passage doorways (Plate 9), a type common in this area
(Wiliam 1986). It is constructed of undressed roughly coursed reddish-brown,
greenish-grey and grey local sandstones with quoins of the same stone but slightly
larger, bonded with soft pinkish grey and white mortar. Conglomerate blocks form the
foundation cornerstones on three sides. The cornerstones appeared to be laid directly
on clay or rock with little in the way of a foundation trench; it is effectively a building
of two separate halves joined by the roof and through-doors. The building appears to
be set out with all walls broadly at right angles to each other and with the long axis
orientated northwest/southeast (137 degrees National Grid bearing) to take account of
the prevailing southwesterly wind. Externally the barn measured around 11.5m
northwest/southeast and 6.9m northeast/southwest. Internally, whilst both individual
gable ends and wall lengths compared at around 5.66m and 10.23m respectively, the
diagonal measurement differed by around 0.19m, therefore internally, the building
was out of true and the difference taken up in wall thickness. The barn was designed
to be of two levels and was deliberately sited over a rock outcrop on sloping ground
to achieve the difference in height. The rock provided the foundation for the higher
floor surface whilst the lower level was built on clay. The wall heights thus vary
depending on the slope of the ground; it stands at a maximum height of around 4.4m
to the eaves at the northeast corner and around 7m at the northeast gable.
The building is part ruinous, lacking most of the timberwork, a roof covering, and
some stonework. The pitch of the roof was determined from the gable to be around 45
degrees and evidence of its most recent roof, corrugated tin sheeting, lay strewn on
the ground. Broken pantiles were observed within mortar on the gables, which may
suggest they formed a former roof covering, but it is possible that slate or stone could
have been used. The barn also showed evidence of change of use from a threshing
barn to another unknown purpose. These changes consisted of blocked doorways and
the insertion of a metallic window frame and would appear to be mostly of modern
date. Rendering was absent on the external faces but the internal gables bore possible
traces of now weathered rendering.
3.2 Elevations
External elevations: northwest elevation (Plate 1, Figure 4)
The northwest elevation on the lowest part of the slope faced the floodplain of the
river Usk and had the highest surviving stonework. The height was around 7m and the
width around 6.9m. Two ventilation slits (vertical slits with splayed reveals, triangular
in plan) positioned broadly in the centre of the face were set one above the other. The
lower vent measured around 1.85m in height and the upper, in the gable apex, around
1m. All external face slits were generally 0.1m wide or less; the width was variable as
none of the outer slit faces had been carefully dressed; this led in most cases to the
stonework's having an off-vertical and slightly staggered appearance. The wall
thickness was measured at 0.63m through the vent slit. The gable slope was partially
demolished at the northeast but almost intact at the southwest. Two purlin positions
were evident on the intact part of the gable whilst traces of their corresponding
partners were suggested on the surviving stonework at similar level on the other side.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Large foundation blocks of conglomerate form the cornerstones of the elevation and
occasional orange-coloured bricks were found within the wall structure; two blocks of
oolitic limestone were also observed in the face. It is probable that the conglomerate
and brick is re-used Roman stone from Roman buildings and the oolitic limestone is
from Roman monumental funerary sculpture. Modern cement rendering covered the
greater part of the basal course.
Northeast elevation (Figure 8)
The northeast elevation was around 11.45m long and around 4m high at the northwest
end and 3.4m at the southeast. The basic appearance is of the original build but with
more recent alterations. Two doorways were set into this wall both of which were
now blocked. The position once occupied by one of the barn through-doors
(measuring 3.5m high and 2.7m wide) was blocked by modern breeze-blocks, with a
basal course of bricks and cement render, and the other, a side door, was possibly
blocked at an earlier stage. The smaller doorway set close to the northwest corner was
around 1.8m high and 1m wide, and was blocked with neat courses of greenish-grey
sandstone bonded with pinkish-grey and white mortar; the mortar is similar to that
used for the main building. The threshold stone had also been removed prior to
blocking. There is a suggestion that the stonework forming the jam may have been
removed and reinserted (Plate 6), thus there is a possibility that this doorway was
inserted after construction of the barn. Greyish-white mortar with high coal content
was noted surrounding this side doorway and probably, as it is a different mortar,
represented later repairs. The wall thickness was around 0.55m measured at the door.
Two rectangular vents were located on either side of the through-door walls near the
eaves; the southeast vent was blocked. Wooden lintels were recorded over both
doorways. Another timber remained in place on top of the stonework at the northwest,
and this combined with the lintel over the main door were probably the remains of the
wall-plate beams. Four quoins on either side of the through-doors had been replaced
by matching timbers. These timbers may have been to hold the door hinges. Recent
additions to this face included a spanner driven into the wall and an iron gate also
secured to the wall, both possibly tethering points. This elevation also had brick and
stone that probably derived from Roman remains including a possible brick (southeast
side) that may be part of a Roman floor support stack from a hypocaust system.
Southeast elevation (Plate 2, Figure 6)
The southeast elevation is constructed over a rock outcrop except at the northeast
corner where the rock finishes and the ground slopes steeply downward. The width is
similar to its opposite counterpart at around 7m and the height around 5.1m. Two
openings, one above the other and central to the elevation were present in the face, a
lower ventilation slit and a window setting in the gable. The vent is typical of those in
the building at around 1.2m high but the window setting is seen as a recent addition. It
is likely that this elevation had two vertical slits similar to the northwest elevation and
that the upper slit was enlarged and replaced by a modern window, which retained
clear evidence of cement pointing surrounding the stonework particularly above the
frame. The lower slit of around 0.5m depth had been blocked with blocks and a
kerbstone. Both gable edges were for the most part dilapidated and purlin positions
not identifiable. Missing stone at the northeast corner presented a sectional view of
the northeast elevation. Underlying the cornerstone was a deposit of clay and
sandstone chips, which probably represented backfilled material placed between the
void formed between the end of the natural rock face and the northeast wall. It was
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
also likely that the corner of this infilling was faced with a quoin; the width of the
northeast wall is around 0.55m but the width of stone recorded at the corner was only
0.3m.
Southwest elevation (Plate 3, Figure 9)
This elevation of around 11.5m length is constructed over sloping ground and
provides access to the interior and is the only one where the door has not been
blocked. The walls vary in height to the eaves from around 2.3m at the southeast to
3.6m at the northwest. The through-doorway measured around 2.7m wide and was
centrally located along the elevation. Both walls had vertical ventilation slits of
similar height and both began at around 1.8m up from ground level but because of the
slope in the ground they do not have a common horizontal alignment; the southeast
vent was set almost to the eaves and the northwest 0.3m short of the eaves. A single
rectangular vent was located 0.3m below and 0.7m northwest of the slit on the
northwest section of the wall. No wooden lintels were recorded on this elevation,
although two timber blocks were observed in the end wall at the southeast side of the
through-door. The wall measured around 0.6m thick. These blocks correspond to the
timber quoins on the opposite elevation, however no evidence was seen for a
matching pair at the northwest; it is possible, as the wall had signs of cracking, that it
was rebuilt without timber blocks. Inserted into both end walls each side of the doors
were metal bars and nails, possibly for the attachment of a doorpost. As they occur on
either side it is assumed that the barn had double doors in each of the through-
doorways. An unusual feature occurred on the southeast wall section; a large flattish-
topped block of sandstone, supported by stonework, projected around 0.8m out from
the wall (Plate 8). It was unclear what its function was. As seen in the other faces of
the barn, some of the blocks of stone would appear to have been re-used Roman
stone. Modern cement rendering covered some of the lower courses on the northwest
face.
the through-doors; this differed from those on the exterior elevation where only two
sets were noted, both pairs at lower levels. Cracks were evident on the upper part of
the northeast wall end at the through-door. However, of particular note was that the
wall was not keyed to the southeast gable over the upper 1.2m of its height; this was
not evident on the external faces and did not occur in the northern half of the barn
walls. The reason for this apparent construction anomaly and possible weakness was
not determined.
Southeast elevation (Plate 5, Figure 7)
This elevation was of similar width to the northwest internal elevation at 5.7m but in
comparison had a reduced height of around 5.4m because of the raised step. Wooden
lintels were present over both vent (Plate 7) and window and as noted on the opposite
gable, horizontal scantlings projected over the sidewalls at eaves level, with the
southwest one being badly weathered. Both gable edges were partially destroyed;
however the southeast edge and the upper part of the southwest edge retained enough
definition in the stonework to suggest former purlin positions; these match similar
positions observed in the northwest gable. A near vertical crack was noted extending
downward from sill of the inserted window and slight traces of repair to the
stonework were noted above the weathered lintel. The elevation face retained traces
of render and contained probable re-used Roman bricks, also evident was a horseshoe
set into the wall.
Southwest elevation
The southwest elevation measured around 10.2m in length with each wall measuring
around 3.8m long. The height of the walls varied as before due to the raised floor. The
southeast was around 2m and the northwest 3.4m in height. Both ventilation slits had
wooden lintels and a continuation of the wooden blocks, first noted on the exterior
elevation (southeast through-door wall end), was also apparent. As observed on the
opposite elevation, the division was set flush and at a right angle to the wall. Again as
noted in the northeast elevation, the upper 1.2m of walling was not keyed to the
southeast gable.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Further evidence of roofing was provided by the remains of timber wall plates and
horizontal timbers in the gable ends at eaves level. Broken pantiles were observed
within cement mortar on repairs at the gable ends of barn and these may suggest that
the roof was once clad in pantiles. At Abernant Farm to the north of Little Bulmore
Farm a barn retains its roof of pantiles. Building 2 (Figure 2) also had a similar but
differently coloured pantile roofing.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
4 Conclusions
It is almost certain that the original purpose of the barn was for production and
storage of grain. The building is not remarkable in terms of threshing barns found in
the former county of Monmouthshire. The barn is sited with the through-doors
aligned to take advantage of prevailing winds and uses both the natural geology and
wind to ease the process of threshing and winnowing in production of grain.
Originally the barn doors would have opened outward so that the threshing floor was
formed between the passage and probable storage bays on either side. This passage
was often also used for winnowing and utilised the prevailing wind to separate the
chaff. In this style of barn the doors were usually intended to admit a cart, but this
cannot have been the case here because of the drop in ground level, unless there was a
ramp or the present ground level is lower than originally. The threshing floor was
likely to have been of flagstones some of which are still in place; flagstones were
readily available in the sandstone areas of southeast Wales. There was certainly one
division within the barn but more were suggested by the blind voids in the northwest
walls that may have accommodated timber beams to support partitions. These
partitions would have been for storage and to prevent threshed grain from mixing with
the unthreshed grain. Positive evidence to suggest different building phases other than
recent modifications was not forthcoming but it is possible that the blocked side door
was an earlier modification. The later modern modifications suggest that the barn was
utilised as a general-purpose building.
No evidence to support a 17th-century foundation date came to light but this is not
unusual in a barn without identifiable architectural detail. Dating evidence however,
may be obtained when the building is demolished. It is possible that pottery or other
artefacts are buried beneath the floors or in the gaps between the walls and the rock.
Furthermore, the original builders have incorporated stone and brick probably from
Roman buildings and possibly funerary monuments; the Roman settlement and
cemeteries of Bulmore extends along the road at the base of the hill.
Recovery of the Roman stonework will add to existing knowledge of the settlement
and it is therefore recommended that an archaeologist is present during demolition
works. This will not only enable the Roman stonework to be assessed and recovered
but will also provide a watching brief during groundworks that may establish the
foundation date of the barn.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Bibliography
Fox and Raglan 1954, Monmouthshire Houses: Part III: Renaissance Houses, 70.
NMW. Cardiff.
Howell, JK, 2004, Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension: Little Bulmore Farm
building recording specification. GGAT report 2004/101.
Smith, P, 1975, Houses of the Welsh Countryside, map 29. RCAHMW. Aberystwyth.
Soil Survey of England and Wales, 1983, Soils of England and Wales. Sheet 2; Wales.
Harpenden, Herts.
Wiliam, E, 1986, The historical farm buildings of Wales, John Donald, Edinburgh.
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Plates
Plate 5: Southeast internal elevation and raised floor. Scale in 0.5m divisions. ©GGAT
Plate 6: Northeast internal elevation showing blocked doorway. Scale in 0.5m divisions.
©GGAT
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Celtic Manor Ryder Cup course extension, Little Bulmore Farm barn: building survey
Plate 7: Typical ventilation slit in southeast internal wall. Scale in 0.5m divisions. ©GGAT
Plate 8: Southwest elevation showing projecting sandstone. Scale in 0.5m divisions. ©GGAT
Plate 9: General view of the barn to the east. Scales in 0.5m divisions. ©GGAT
17