History

A fine mid or third-quarter C16 storeyed sub-Medieval house of lateral chimney and inside cross-passage type; extended to the rear early C17 to form an L, at which date the (formerly open) upper floor was ceiled over. Some internal alterations were carried out c.1684 for Sir John Wynn, the 5th Gwydir Baronet, subsequently of Watstay and founder of the Williams-Wynn dynasty of Wynnstay; the date and his arms and abbreviated titles appear on two plasterwork overmantels in the former hall and parlour. This phase also saw the construction of a fine stable range and the establishment of a formal walled terraced garden to the rear of the house, with flights of rock-cut steps and rubble revettment walls; both of these elements survive in fragment.

Exterior

L-shaped storeyed house of pebble-dashed and whitened rubble, except to the NW where the rubble walling is exposed. Slate roofs with coved stone eaves and simple shaped kneelers to partly-surviving rubble gable parapets. The primary (front-facing) range has a tall chimney to the L and a lateral chimney to the rear at R (now enclosed by the C17 extension); both with weathercoursing and original, simply-moulded coping. A further tall stack surmounts a projecting, gabled lateral chimney to the C17 wing; weathercoursing and coping as before. Off-centre (L) entrance to main (NE) front, round-arched and with deeply-recessed early boarded and studded door; original decorative iron hinges. Flanking late C19/early C20 tripartite sliding sash windows with 8-pane sections; similar tripartite windows to the first floor, of 6-pane sections, that to the L a modern replacement. Further window to ground-floor NW gable as before, with a blocked primary window to first floor; original 4-light unglazed, mullioned window to gable apex, with off-set oak mullions, that to the L missing. 4 small four-pane C19 windows to first and attic floors of L (SE) gable in original openings. Boarded door with wrought-iron hinges to rear of C17 wing, at angle with primary block; this within a modern porch, extruded in the angle. C19 8-pane sliding sash and further, modern windows. First-floor access to C17 wing at E corner, via a recessed modern door.

Interior

Stopped-chamfered ceiling beams to former hall and similar main beams to parlour. Divided cross-passage, though primary post-and-panel partition to hall side survives, partly relocated. Large fireplaces to hall and parlour with associated, primary `salt cupboards' and elaborate, primitive plaster overmantels; the latter depict the arms of Sir John Wynn, (subsequently of Watstay) Baronet, with the abbreviations `S..I..W..Kt..&..Bt,' and the date 1684. Contemporary panelled shutters to windows of both rooms and in the parlour, a wooden moulded cornice of similar date. Leading off from the hall and projecting slightly into it, a wide, primary newel stair with large central wooden newel and contemporary oak treads and risers; pegged oak entrance to this with old boarded door. Stopped-chamfered main ceiling beams to first-floor rooms, those to the right-hand chamber plastered; mostly original random-width oak floor boards. Good post-and-panel screen to L chamber, with grooved decoration to the uprights and original segmental-arched opening. Fireplace with crude corbelling and primitive painted decoration to the stone surround; this depicts fictive marble and is probably late C17. In front, a slate hearthstone, probably contemporary; flanking closet spaces. The right-hand chamber has its original plaster finish apparently largely intact beneath overlying layers of limewash and wallpaper; there is potential in this context therefore, for surviving historic painted decoration. The internal passage wall is timber-framed. Fireplace with stopped-chamfered bressummer; to the L, an ogee stopped-chamfered entrance to the rear (C17) wing.

Late C17 dogleg stair from first floor to attics with geometric ball finial to newel; cupboard under (facing earlier newel stair) with boarded door and plain, but contemporary ironwork. 4-bay roof with plain central truss and outer arched-braced collar trusses. The latter are decorated with three simple punched oculi above the trusses and have chamfered detail. This implies that they were originally open to the two first-floor chambers, either side of the central framed truss; the ceilings were therefore presumably inserted when the rear wing was added in the early C17.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* as an important C16 house in the area with much significant historic interior detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17744421

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings