History

Legend states that St. Deiniol, the 4th century Irish saint was shipwrecked near here in the Dee estuary and apparently planted his staff (of ash) on the site. This, the site of his first christian meeting, was subsequently known as St. Deiniol's, or Daniel's ash. Initially the home of the Aldersey family and, from the late C17 in the possession of the Cratchleys. William Aldersey was mayor of Chester in 1560. He died in 1577, and it seems likely that the earlier core of the house was built by him as a timber-framed storeyed hall. Considerable additions appear to have been made in the early C17, including a storeyed porch and a new parlour wing, all of brick.

Exterior

A large timber-framed and brick house of 2 main periods. Storeyed central timber-framed range, probably 3rd quarter C16, to which a tall parlour wing, garderobe tower and porch were added in the early C17. Main (E) front asymmetrical. Timber-framed range, box-framed with some close-studding and decorative braces to the upper storey. Medium-pitched slate roof. Brick infilling throughout with later fenestration. 6 and 9-pane fixed windows and one quarry-glazed leaded window. Storeyed porch with stone kneelers and tile coping, with a shallow gable. (Later) cambered entrance with C19 vertically-panelled door. C17 inner door with contemporary ironwork. 2-light mullion window above porch, leaded. To the L of the timber-framed range, a 2-storey brick garderobe tower, shallow gabled and kneelered as before. Finial to S gable of timber-framed range and later barge-boards. Reduced window to first floor, corbelled-out on wooden scrolled brackets. N gable-end jettied-out to first floor.
The rear (W) facade advances from R to L in 5 sections, 3 and 5 gabled as before, though with stone copings. Rebuilt lateral chimney to the R of primary range. Then a gabled projecting wing to the L with a blocked single-light window and early-C19 cambered-headed flush casements. Parlour cross-wing, gabled as before and with end chimney with 3 stacks, diagonally set. Stone quoins and detailing throughout. Returned, moulded labels to 10-light cross windows to ground and first floor. Further (now blocked) 3-light attic window as before. N front of parlour wing originally with large cross-windows as before. Further gabled projection advancing to W. 2-light mullioned windows on 3 floors, the central one with wooden mullions, and the others with moulded and returned labels. Modern single-storey addition to rear.

Interior

Ovolo-moulded beams with plain stops to hall ceiling, carried on brackets. Modern
partition to hall. Fireplace with large, simple stone lintel. Off to the R a moulded square-headed doorway with scrolled bases and decorative roundels. Former parlour with stone fireplace overmantel . Moulded cornice and lintel carried on brackets with decorative heart motifs. Simple fluted pilasters flanking C20 fireplace. Moulded, arched-headed doorcases with pendentives to L of hall, one with (re-set) panelled door. Framed ceilings and ovolo-moulded beams to kitchen with large ingelnook and stop-chamfered bressumer. L- shaped stair to first floor. Former Great Chamber with moulded stone fireplace. High-quality contemporary wall painting on lintel depicting scenes from the life of St. Deiniol. Several further C17 panelled doors and chamfered ceiling beams to first floor. Secondary stair off hall with one surviving Newel post with ball finial and a flat, pierced and shaped baluster; mid C17.

Reasons for Listing

An extremely important example of a C16/17 manorial house with many surviving contemporary features and important historical associations. The wall-paintings of the life of St Deiniol rank amongst the very best in Britain at their early C17 date.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Saint Deiniol's Ash at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17737599

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
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)