History

Built 1790. Has historical associations with many of the country houses in the area. Originally a much larger estate and known as Gorphwysfa. Owned in early C19 by Bicknells who ran the Penrhyn Arms and George Hotels. Bought in 1846 by the Chester to Holyhead Railway Company who planned to establish a hotel of unprecedented size. The project was abandoned, having only laid out the gardens, due to lack of funds resulting from the overspend on the Britannia Bridge. The property was sold in 1861 and later owned by the Vyvian Family of the Port Dinorwic Quarries. Extended ca 1959-1970 and the coachhouses, etc were separated off in early 1970s when the name was changed.

Exterior

Late Georgian; the main elevation is to the SE. Three-storey, 3 1 window roughcast front with plinth; slate roof with wide panelled and bracket eaves and rendered end chimney stacks. The central bay is splayed out with blind openings to the sides; the 1-window bay set back to left has narrow eaves and roof hipped at end. Small pane sash windows (some horned), 6-pane to second floor, 9-pane to first floor and 12-pane to ground floor; fixed glazed window over modern porch with classical portico. Six-panel door and fanlight. Modern kitchen extension to verandah to left with French windows. Sash windows at rear, tripartite outer windows to first and ground floors. Later pedimented projection to ground floor has three windows, the central of which is a 12-pane sash. The lawn to rear is bounded by cast iron railings with the land dropping away steeply beyond.

Interior

The interior retains considerable contemporary detail. The entrance opens onto an octagonal hall with one Baroque and two broken pedimented doorcases and panelled dado. The dog leg staircase to the right has panelled newels and barley twist balusters. The Drawing Room has a Tuscan Doric screen with panelled piers to ends and Adamesque detailing below built in display cabinets; ceiling rose, gilded cornice bands and Rococo chimneypiece with tapered pilasters and fully modelled festoons. The Dining Room retains ¾ height panelling and Jacobean overmantel (? formerly a bedhead) with mantlepiece (? formerly bed board) inscribed with various signatures; panelled and carved fireplace with fleur de lys fireback. Fine Victorian closet at rear with blue and white porcelain by Shanks of Barrhead.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29483819

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

• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)