History in Structure

Chirk Castle Gates, Screen and Piers

A Grade I Listed Building in Chirk, Wrexham

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.9317 / 52°55'54"N

Longitude: -3.071 / 3°4'15"W

OS Eastings: 328104

OS Northings: 337681

OS Grid: SJ281376

Mapcode National: GBR 72.MBJ6

Mapcode Global: WH78C.SKSV

Plus Code: 9C4RWWJH+MH

Entry Name: Chirk Castle Gates, Screen and Piers

Listing Date: 4 January 1966

Last Amended: 29 July 1998

Grade: I

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 1315

Building Class: Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces

ID on this website: 300001315

Location: The screen stands on the skyline at the Llwyn-y-Cil entrance to Chirk Castle Park at the end of Station Avenue, and set back from the right-angled bend.

County: Wrexham

Town: Wrexham

Community: Chirk (Y Waun)

Community: Chirk

Locality: Chirk Castle

Traditional County: Denbighshire

Tagged with: Gate

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History

Centre part (without piers and side screens) was begun in 1712; designed and executed for Sir Richard Myddleton, 3rd baronet, by Robert and John Davies, ironsmiths of Croes Foel, Bersham. This was incorporated in an enlarged scheme of 1718-21 by the Davies brothers for the forecourt screen to the Castle. The centrepiece (with gates lengthened) and short lengths of side screen were moved in 1770-1 to New Hall Lodge entrance to the park. Resited, with the screen lengthened with additional panels on the present site in 1888 after the closure to wheeled traffic of the old Cardiff to Chester road through the park.

Exterior

Intricate cast and wrought ironwork, painted black with gold highlights. Composition of massive openwork piers with sedent wolf finials in lead, twin carriage gates with side panels and rich heraldic overthrow containing the Myddelton arms. Flanking pedestrian gates; screen railings on dwarf ashlar walls with roll-moulded copings and outer stone piers with acorn finials. Exceptional ironwork detailing includes Corinthian capitals to open piers incorporating vine tendrils and coronets with balustraded bases. Scrolled supports to heraldic overthrow embellished with bird, flower and foliage ornaments; urn finials and sunburst supporter to top rail. Intricate scrolled foliage, masks etc to carriage gates; spear finials and simpler scrollwork crestings to side gates and railings. For much of their life, the gates have been painted white highlighted with gold.
Gates removed for repair on inspection, January 1998.

Reasons for Listing

Included at Grade I as regarded as the finest of all the Davies brothers ironwork, and comparable to Jean Tijou's work at Hampton Court.

External Links

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.

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