History

A site of early significance, said to have been associated with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (1194-1240). It seems most likely that it originated as the house of the Steward ('Maer') of the Lordship of Dinorben; an old house was mentioned by De Beckele in his Survey of Denbigh of 1334. The present house is an Elizabethan storeyed example of particularly fine quality and bears close similarities with Plas Newydd in neighbouring Cefn Meiriadog, dated 1583. It was the seat of a senior branch of the Hollands of Kinmel and Faerdre, an important Denbighshire gentry family. A lower 2-storey addition was added probably in the second-quarter C19 at the upper (W) end.

Exterior

An unusually tall storeyed Elizabethan gentry house, down-hill sited with entry towards the downhill end and of cross-passage with chimney-backing-on-entry plan. Constructed of squared blocks of local limestone and formerly with kneelered gable parapets to the roof; the present, slated roof is modern and has 3 large, modern Velux skylights. These replace a large gabled dormer with 4-light mullioned and transomed window, removed earlier this century. Large end (L gable) and central chimneys with weathercoursing, reduced in height by half. With the exception of the lost dormer the openings to the front and gables are original and mostly unaltered. The main entrance is L of centre and has a cyclopean Tudor-arched lintel with modern door. To the L of this is a small, original 2-light mullioned window, with its mullion removed and with modern casement glazing; the reveals are chamfered. To the R of the entrance is a similar window with a larger 3-light mullioned window beyond. Between the door and the former are 2 small slit lights at mezzanine levels between the ground and first floors and first and attic floors respectively; these relate to the former stair. The first floor has a 3-light mullioned window to the L and two 2-lights to the R, as before. The attic floor has a further small, square light to the R, under the eaves.

Adjoining the upper (R) end of this side, and advanced at right-angles, is a lower 2-storey C19 additional block. Within this, the original ground-floor openings still survive. These consist of a further segmentally-arched, chamfered entrance, with a small window to the R; these originally served the service bay at the R end of the hall. The L (E) gable also retains its primary windows; these consist of small, square lights with chamfered reveals placed in pairs on the first and attic floors. All save that to the upper R retain their original wrought iron grilles, whilst that to the L on the first floor is blocked. The rear and W gable have been whitened. A similar square light with original grille survives to the R on the first floor; otherwise the openings are modern enlargements with modern glazing and include a part-glazed entrance off-centre to L. The former rear entrance to the cross passage is blocked though discernible.

The 2-bay C19 wing is of limestone rubble with slate roof; brick end chimney. Modern door to L with modern casement windows (to original openings) to R; the gable end has a modern timber external stair giving access to a first-floor part-glazed entrance.

Interior

The internal plan-form survives largely unaltered and consists of a cross-passage, chimney-backing-on-entry plan with central hall and unheated former parlour to the L of the cross-passage (originally divided into 2 rooms). The service bay, at the upper end of the hall was (unusually) always independently accessible from the outside and appears similarly to have always been divided. The hall itself has a noticeably high ceiling, framed in 3 ways with finely moulded main and subsidiary beams and stopped-chamfered joists. The fireplace is very wide and retains its original oak bressummer, though with a later segmental chamfered arch cut into it and 2 modern rubble supporting pillars below. At the service end is a fine post-and-panel partition with roll-moulded corner decoration to the posts; outer entrances, that to the L now blocked, though retaining its Tudor-arched head, that to the R enlarged. Further stopped-chamfered beams to the parlour end. The present stair is a first-half C19 stick-baluster pine replacement of what originally was either a similar straight-flight example or else, more probably, a timber newel stair.

Large end fireplace to former principal first-floor chamber (at L), with a stone- corbelled, chamfered oak bressummer and stopped chamfered reveals; ceiling framed in 3 ways with moulded ceiling beams, as before. The central chamber (above the hall) has been subdivided; its fireplace has a chamfered and corbelled-out bressummer as before; widely stopped-chamfered ceiling beams. At the W end is a further post-and-panel partition, with outer entrances, that to the R with a depressed ogee head; that to the L has lost its decorative head. The roof structure is C20.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* for its special historic importance as a fine Elizabethan regional gentry house with well-preserved external and internal character.

Group value with other listed items at Faerdre.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17744478

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

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version