History

The present house stands some way to the N of the site of the C16 Broadlane Hall, the seat of the Ravenscroft family. This was acquired by Sir John Glynne, 6th baronet, through marriage, and was entirely rebuilt by him from 1752-7 to designs by Samuel Turner the elder of Whitchurch at a cost of ú2,624 10s. Joseph Turner, apparently a nephew, may also have been involved. This new house was of brick with stone dressings and consisted of a main 3-storey block of 7 bays with rusticated quoins and an advanced 3-bay central pediment. 2 connecting side pavilions were planned, though these may not have been completed.
The main range forms the nucleus of the present building which was enlarged and entirely encased in ashlar in Gothick baronial style by Thomas Cundy the elder of London in 1809-10, for Sir Stephen Richard Glynne, 8th baronet. His daughter Catherine married W.E. Gladstone, the statesman and Prime Minister, in 1839. The estate passed to his wife's descendants after the death of the 9th baronet,and was his chief residence from 1854 until his death in 1898.Additions by George Shaw and Douglas and Fordham were commissioned by him during this period. The house is presently the home of Sir William Gladstone, 7th baronet and Lady Gladstone.

Exterior

The S front was the main entrance front until 1830. The 7-bay, 3-storey Georgian house is still identifiable as the central block, though now encased and disguised by Cundy's work. The
pedimented advancing central block, of 3 bays was given a pronounced crenellated parapet with sham machicolations. Stepped down on either side, the flanking, 2-bay sections are also
crenellated. To the L a circular turret projecting above the parapet and itself castellated and with sham machicolations. Blind slit-windows to 3rd storey with simple lights below. To the 2 right-hand bays a 2-storey canted bay has been added, with 10 and 4 light mullioned and transomed windows with arched lights.
Crenellated parapet as before. To the R, the S/E corner has a diagonal stepped buttress. The central section has a ground-floor bay corresponding to the original entrance. Full-length 10-light mullioned and transomed windows with stepped garden access to centre. Arched heads as before. L bay with pair of full-length cross windows to ground floor with stepped garden access to that to L. 4 lights above, 2 below, arched, with returned labels. First and second floor windows of 2 and 4 lights and 2 lights respectively with labels as before. Blind slits and heraldic shields to central block under machicolations and flanking simple 2-light windows.
Library (W) Wing: The central block extends to the L in a 2-storey castellated library wing. Square projecting corner tower with crenellated parapet and stepped corner buttress. 3 Y-tracery pointed-arched windows to each floor, with returned hoods and 2-storey canted bay on the W return. To the R an irregular castellated service wing of 2 sections. That to the L, of 3 bays and 2 storeys with sash windows and returned labels. In the centre an octagonal projecting turret with irregular lancets. Adjoining to the R a large rectangular tower of 2 storeys and half-height basement. 3-light window to upper storey, then 4 and 4, the middle one with returned label.
The N Front: The present entrance front. This has an irregular central porch to the main section (relating to the primary house) which was built to commemorate the Gladstones' golden wedding in 1889. By Douglas and Fordham it is in neo-Perpendicular, castellated with a 3-light window above an advancing entrance. Tudor-arched entrance with returned label and carved corbels. Flat, stone canopy above, carried on moulded brackets. Internal stairs to raised ground floor. Behind this, a porch of 1830 with gothic vaulting, perhaps by Edward Blore. This is flanked by octagonal turrets. The raised ground floor gives the impression of a 4-storey facade. Large, full-height canted bay to R with adjoining octagonal corner turret, projecting above a castellated parapet. To the L of the main block, a balancing turret, though here round with sham machicolations. Irregular square chimneys, some off-set with moulded and castellated caps. 4 tiers of windows as before, some with 6 and 12-pane sashes, some of cross-window type and others are late C19 2-pane sashes.
At the NW corner of the house, a similar wing by George Shaw of Saddleworth, of the mid 1860s and in severe Edward 1-style Gothic. This housed Gladstone's library, his "temple of peace" on its ground floor. Of 3 sections: first a single bay, followed by a 2-bay advanced section to the R. Finally a further bay, recessed up to the 2nd storey and then corbelled-out and projecting as a square turret above the parapet. Irregular fenestration with 2 and 3-light, single-light and slit-windows, some with shouldered heads. Pointed-arched entrance L bay.
To the R and adjoining this range to the N, an octagonal stone munimentroom with conical stone roof. This was built by Douglas and Fordham in 1887-8 as a strongroom for the storage of W.E. Gladstone's papers.
Adjoining the main building to the L a high stone wall conceals a service court behind Cundy's S-facing service wing. Service buildings ranged around the walls. C20 Garage entrance to L. To
the R and abutting the main block, a C20 coped and gabled wing with mullioned windows.

Interior

Despite external remodelling the Georgian interiors of the main rooms of first rank. The carving of these is by Phillips and the plasterwork by Oliver, presumably the Thomas Oliver who worked at Chirk Castle in the 1770s. S entrance hall with fine dentilated cornice. Staircase hall with shallow, swept-rail staircase with cantilevered stone steps and scrolled ends. Iron balusters, alternately plain and scrolled.

Doorcases off with lugged architraves and continuous egg-and-dart mouldings. Rococco plasterwork swags above. Stairhead with bold and sophisticated plasterwork, with both ceiling and walls enriched with panels and foliate swags. Chimney-piece on landing with fine carved overmantel, lugged and with open pediment containing a basket of fruit in high relief. Flanking volutes with carved heads. Fireplace surroundwith similar flanking volutes.
In the ground-floor drawing room in the SW corner of the C18 house, a Chinoiserie ceiling in restrained low relief of very high quality. This appears slightly later than the 1750s work elsewhere, and is perhaps of the mid-1760s. 2 doorcases by Cundy with honeysuckle friezes. Through the W one, access to Cundy's W wing, housing the library. Screens of fluted ionic columns in scagliola to W and E. Severe neo-classical bookcases with pedimented tops and similar cornice. Early C20 plasterwork swags on N and E walls with narrow wall panels. Similar screen in dining room with dentilated cornice and C18 doors, adapted and altered by Cundy.
Through a false door in the NW corner of the Library, access to Gladstone's library in Shaw wing. Plain, though entirely unaltered interior.

Reasons for Listing

Included at grade I for the very high quality of the Castle's architecture, especially C18 interiors, and for its exceptional importance as the home of W.E. Gladstone.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Hawarden Castle at Wikipedia
• Hawarden Castle official website
• Wikidata Q370127

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)