History

Attributed to John Douglas, architect of Chester, and dated 1886. The original plans of the house are thought to have been lost during World War II. It was built for the Cornwallis-West family of Ruthin Castle. Dedwyddfa and a neighbouring house by Douglas were originally a pair of isolated houses set in large grounds, but in a convenient location, adjacent to the railway. There was originally a large coach house to the E of Dedwyddfa, but this was demolished and replaced by a house during the 1970s.

Exterior

Asymmetrical house of 2 storeys-with-attics in Domestic-revival style. Entrance front to S gable end, garden front to W, rear wing to E. Constructed of red brick under slate roofs with external brick stack to S gable end with fluted shaft (there was originally another to N gable end). Detail includes dentilled brick string course to 1st floor, blue diamond brickwork to upper storey, (characteristic of Douglas), raised stone copings and kneelers to gables, with ball finial to each apex. The windows are of yellow sandstone with chamfered mullions, some with transoms, containing iron casements with horizontal glazing bars. South gable end has entrance to R with moulded sandstone doorcase containing a 9-panel wooden door with strap hinges; shaped tablet over reading '1886' in relief. Flat-roofed moulded wooden porch canopy on scrolled brackets on stone corbels. To L of entrance, external stack with offset on R-hand side. To far L is a small light with quarries and margin glazing. Upper storey has 2-light casement with dripmould above entrance; attic has 2-light casement. Garden front is a 2-window range: full-height canted bay to L, with continuous parapets projecting through eaves, above which is a Flemish gable to attic dormer, with ball finial. Canted bay has 3 cross-windows to ground floor, and 3 x 2-light casements to 1st floor; attic dormer has 2-light window with quarries. To R of canted bay, 4-light windows, that to ground floor transomed. North gable end has cross-window to ground floor R; tall 3-light transomed stairlight to L at mid-level, containing quarries and pink margin glazing. Beneath the stairlight is a small single light. Attic has a 2-light casement with quarries.
Lower wing to E, single storey with attic, with large fluted ridge stack. Its S side, in angle with main range, has a bay window with slate roof, with cross-window to front, and transomed light to canted R-hand return. Rear (N) side has a large segmental-arched opening, now with glazed double doors, and single light with dripmould to L. Against E side is a lean-to kitchen with C20 gabled porch and wooden casement windows, some under segmental brick heads.

Interior

Interior has a full-length stair-hall, with reception rooms to L and study and service rooms to R. Dog-leg stairs to R side of stair-hall, with turned balusters and moulded handrail. The staircase is set forward slightly from the stairlight, allowing light to the attic storey. Detail includes panelled doors with a distinctive moulding; fireplaces with wood-panelled chimney pieces with similar mouldings and bracketed mantelpieces; ceilings with moulded coving and foliate roses. Trusses to attic include posts set in from the walls.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a fine example of the Domestic revival style in the late C19, attributed to John Douglas, and retaining good character and detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Dedwyddfa at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5249860

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

• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)