History

The site of Gilar has been occupied from early times. The earliest recorded house is a building erected for Rhys Wynn, a poet of some standing, who died c1606-7, perhaps by his father Cadwaladr ap Maurice after receiving a substantial grant of land from Henry VIII in 1545-6, which included the land later occupied by Plas Iolyn and Voelas. The second, a unit-system house, was probably built for one or more of Rhys's sons. The present house is of the mid/late C16 or early C17, a rebuild of an earlier house, undertaken by Thomas Price Wynn, High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1624, at about the same time the grounds were laid out and the gatehouse erected. His son Robert, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John of Penmachno, also became High Sheriff, in 1658. He called a rally here in support of Charles II in 1658, and eventually died in 1664, leaving the eldest son, also Robert, ancestor of Sir Uvedale Price of landscape design distinction.

Exterior

Built of rubble stonework with huge boulders at the corners, whitewashed on the N side, slate roofs. Two storeys and attics, two houses each of 3 bays with extensions to the S, joined at the gable forming a unit-system pair facing opposite ways. Coped gables with kneelers. The E house has its main front to the N, a fine liberally studded oak central door on strap hinges with fleur terminals, set in a chamfered frame within a large gabled porch, having a segmental outer arch. This is approached by an axial path from the gatehouse. To either side, timber mullioned windows replacing the original, with leaded glazing, 5-light to the ground floor, 5, 3 and 4 above. A straight joint in the masonry between the two houses suggests different builds. The rear of the E house has 3-light timber mullioned windows on both floors, the mullions chamfered. The S side, the main front for the W house, has an added gabled porch with low cyclopean lintel, and modern windows in early openings irregularly placed each side. A stair tower forms a raised and gabled dormer at attic level, and has an added lean-to bathroom at ground level. The E house has a short rear wing containing its stair and kitchen, and encompassing a projecting lateral stack to the main parlour, which is coped and gabled, rising as a stone stack. On the rear of the short rear wing is the date 1623 in a panel.

Interior

The E house has a cross passage from the front (N) door, with parlour to the E and Dining Room on the W. The latter has flagged floor and ceiling beams with cut chamfer stops, and an axial stack with timber surround and corniced overmantel. A C17 panelled screen divides the parlour from the passage. This has high dado panelling of the C17, a late C17 corner cupboard and oak lintel to the fireplace, above which is a plaster coat of arms of Thomas Price Wynn, as in the gatehouse. Central chamfered ceiling beam. The newel stair in the rear extension has turned balusters, probably reproduction, within a post and panel well. On the first floor post and panel oak partitions, panelled doors and oak floors. The W house similarly has post and panel partitions, complete on the first floor. The roof consists of collar trusses with queen struts and tenoned principals carrying two tiers of purlins. Four roof bays over the E house.

Reasons for Listing

Included at Grade II* on account of the high quality surviving C17 fabric and internal fittings, and for its significance as a major house in the history of the area.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17738592

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability