History

Designed and built by Evan Powell, architect of Welshpool, said to have been completed in 1876 to replace an earlier house on the Estate. Photographs said to date from then (RCAHMW) show it in its present form but drawings relating to the sale of the estate in 1872 show the service area in a different arrangement and a second entrance in the NE corner. These may have been design drawings only.

Exterior

House, service wing, tower and mews block, built in Gothic style with a complex series of projecting gables and differing roof lines. Rock-faced rubble masonry with sandstone dressings, under slate roofs and constructed on a plinth. Moulded string course. Ridge stacks and external stacks of the same fabric.

The house is roughly square, massive and with 2 storeys, attic and cellar. The projecting gables are laid out to form half-hexagonal towers on the corners of the house and have raised copings and finials. The principal rooms are in the symmetrical E elevation which has full height canted bays at either end and a central rectangular bay window surmounted by an ornate parapet. The entrance is in the N front within a projecting gable, and is approached by stone steps lined with balustrades. The 6-panelled door is probably original and is under a stone tympanum decorated with a coat of arms and the date 1876, in relief. Doorcase has a segmental pointed arched head, the sides of which are formed by 2 orders of columns with circular capitals. Lancet-style windows with trefoiled heads throughout, in groups of 2 or 3 lights under a roughly 4-centred arch, often with a central transom. The N front also contains a large, rectangular bay window on the ground floor surmounted by an ornate parapet.

The lower service wing to the W terminates in a tower. It is a 5-window range with 1 storey and attic, and a central chimney. The detailing is plain. The windows are formed by groups of 2 lights with pointed heads and the attic windows are within half dormers. The tower is of 3 storeys surmounted by a parapet with lancet-style openwork and supported by consoles. At its NW corner is a hexagonal stair turret, rising to a greater height than the tower and also surmounted by a parapet. The tower has an ornate oriel window at first floor level on the N side supported by a pier. The remaining windows are of 2 or 3 lights grouped together with either pointed or trefoiled heads and there is a plain doorway in the N front. Leading from the W side of the tower at first floor level is a bridge surmounted by a parapet, which leads over a driveway into the parkland beyond.

To the S of the hall is a mews block facing E into a closed courtyard (not accessible). There is a wide arched entrance leading from the W side and half dormers containing hay loft hatches are visible on the inside. The mews block is surmounted by a clock tower with a splay-footed spire. There are further buildings along the N and S sides of the closed courtyard.

Immediately around the hall are car parking areas and raised gardens supported by a retaining wall, which is surmounted by a palisade to the front. Offa’s Dyke passes through the parkland to the W of the hall.

Interior

The interior retains contemporary layout and fittings including oak panelling and carved doorcases.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a C19 country house of remarkably consistent and well preserved Gothic character.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29494950

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 by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)