History

Melai was an important seat in the early medieval period and was the ancestral home of the Wynnes of Melai and Maenan Abbey; from this house descended the Wynnes of Garthewin and the Lords Newborough of Rug. Melai produced High Sheriffs for Denbighshire in 1577, 1586, 1614, 1637 and finally 1712; thereafter Melai appears to have been tenanted. The Wynnes of Melai were amongst the staunchest Denbighshire supporters of the Royalist cause during the Civil War. The most distinguished of these was Colonel William Wynne, who raised a regiment of foot and a troop of horse at his own charge; he was slain at the battle of Wem in 1643.

The present house is a mid-C19 rebuilding by Lord Newborough.

Exterior

Two-storey T-shaped house of pebble-dashed rubble, with slate roof and simple 2-stage chimneys; modern capping. The 3-bay main (E-W) arm is symmetrical and has an open central arched entrance with wide, single-storey glazed porch. Flanking this are C20 16-pane casement windows; the first floor has its original mid C19 3-light wooden windows, of mullioned and transomed type with moulded detailing and small-pane glazing. The single-bay advanced S end of the N-S arm has similar windows to both floors. The rear of the main section has two C20 16-pane casements to the ground floor and 3 modern 12-pane windows to the first floor (each with opening upper part); further 12-pane windows to both floors of the single-bay return of the N-S wing. The latter has 2 entrances to its long E side, with modern part-glazed doors, each with a 16-pane window to the R, as before. To the far L is a surviving C19 horned 16-pane sash; modern windows to the first floor.

Interior

The interior was not inspected at the time of survey.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a good example of a C19 farmhouse the site of which has important historical significance and origins.

Group value with other listed items at Melai.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29480853

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)