History

Whitehurst Gardens, also known variously as Black Park Garden and Chirk Castle Garden, were laid out c1651 at considerable personal expense by Sir Thomas Myddleton II (1586-1666) as a pleasure garden for himself and in which to entertain important visitors on the Holyhead Road. The walled area extended to 12 acres. The Duke of Beaufort, Lord President of Wales made a halt here when passing through Wales in 1684, and describes the 'walled Garden of Trees, Plants, Flowers and Herbs of the greatest rarity, as well forreigne as of Great Britain, Orrenge and Lemon Trees, the sensitive Plant, &c, where, in a Banquetting-house, a Collation of choise Fruit and Wines was lodged by the sayd Sr RICHARD MYDDLETON to entertein his Grace in this his flourishing Plantation'. Major General James Berry stayed in 1656, and later circuit judges found it an amenable place to stay. Whitehurst House is probably one of the banqueting houses referred to in the equerry Thomas Dinely's account of the Duke of Beaufort's visit. The present house appears to incorporate in the NE gable end, the stone gable end and brick stack of the banqueting house visited in 1684, probably a single storey building of 3 bays providing overnight accommodation. It was refronted in brick in the C18, and raised to 2 storeys in the early-mid C19, at which time the canted bay window was added to the SE bay.

Exterior

Built of stone with a red tile roof. Two storeys, 3 bays with a rearward kitchen of 1 bay extending up to the enclosing wall of the gardens, and a later brick service lean-to added c1900. The brick front has cogged eaves, and 2-light timber windows either side of a new glazed garden door with rendered surround. The left, parlour, bay has the added canted 2-storey bay window, rising to a part-conical roof. Two-light windows to each face. A recessed gabled entrance porch of late C19 added to the side giving access to the stair hall at the rear. Stack to the NW gable end and to the rear wing.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a building incorporating significant evidence of the major early banqueting house within the gardens, and of group value with the gardens.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29481685

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 Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy