History in Structure

Ty Gwyn

A Grade II* Listed Building in Ruthin, Denbighshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 53.1092 / 53°6'33"N

Longitude: -3.3283 / 3°19'41"W

OS Eastings: 311181

OS Northings: 357711

OS Grid: SJ111577

Mapcode National: GBR 6R.820S

Mapcode Global: WH77G.V39S

Plus Code: 9C5R4M5C+MM

Entry Name: Ty Gwyn

Listing Date: 30 December 2005

Last Amended: 3 July 2008

Grade: II*

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 87353

Building Class: Domestic

Also known as: Ty Gwyn

ID on this website: 300087353

Location: Located in Llanfwrog village, approximately 200m SW of the church.

County: Denbighshire

Town: Ruthin

Community: Ruthin (Rhuthun)

Community: Ruthin

Locality: Llanfwrog

Built-Up Area: Ruthin

Traditional County: Denbighshire

Tagged with: Building

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History

Sub-medieval house of the late C16. Timber framed - box-framing with close-studding. Storeyed from the outset, comprising conventional plan of hall and two unheated service rooms, with a principal chamber open to the roof over the hall. In mid C17 alterations, two parallel gabled wings were added at the rear, perhaps housing service rooms when the two original rooms were converted into a heated parlour. There are some difficulties over more detailed interpretation: Both gable ends are stone (that to hall incorporating a mural stair alongside the fireplace): it is assumed that the south gable and stack date from the C17, and it is likely that the north gable is also a later reconstruction: the two fireplaces both have ogee-stop-chamfered cambered bressumers, suggesting that they are contemporary. There is also evidence of a timber-framed end-wall immediately in front of the north-gable stack (tie-beams with mortices and stave holes on both floors), but no clear evidence for an earlier fire-place. The NW corner post is apparently morticed for a continuation to the north, suggesting that the house originally extended beyond this wall-line. At the south end, whilst there are two doorways in the passage partition, the room beyond (supposedly originally two smaller rooms) is ceiled as a single space with a continuous chamfer to the cross-beam, and chamfered joists. The only evidence for its sub-division is a single slot in the cross-beam, aligned with a mortice in the partition.
The house has strong historical associations with the Salesbury family: the property lay in Salesbury hands in 1623, and an indenture of 1652, in which William Salesbury transfers his property to his son Charles, refers to Ty Gwyn in which William 'now doth or lately did dwell'. Colonel William Salesbury was the patron of Rug chapel, Royalist commander at the siege of Denbigh castle in 1646, and a notable Denbighshire figure.

Exterior

Two-storey 2-unit range with 2-span rear wing.The front is timber framed on a stone plinth, with two tiers of
large panels and angle braces to upper storey; the gable ends and rear are of of large blocks of coursed stone; the rear wing is of rubble stone. Slate roofs, stone end stacks with corbelled brick caps, and similar stack to L gable of rear wing. The entrance is offset to R of centre; gabled timber-framed porch under slate roof with segmental ogee-arched entrance containing late C20 double boarded doors with quarry lights. The front windows are replaced wooden casements with quarries. Ground floor has large 4-light transomed window to L and 3-light casement immediately R of entrance. To the far L is a stone section, part of the N end wall which contains the fireplace staircase; it has a very small stairlight. To 1st floor, 3-light casements to L and R, immediately under the eaves, between which is a small light over the porch.
Many of the rear windows are replaced wooden casements with plain glazing, some mullioned. North gable end has stairlight to R at mid-level, and wooden 2-light window to L of upper storey, probably late C20. To rear, R of wing, is an early stone ovolo-moulded mullioned 2-light window at ground floor level; small light to its R, 2-light casement to upper storey. To L of rear wing, 3-light wooden casement, below which is a late C20 kitchen lean-to with window band and 2 large skylights. South gable end has small 2-light casement to attic, offset to L. Adjoining to R at ground floor level, is a late C20 lean-to with glazed door to S end and window as front to W.
The 2-span rear wing is lower than the main range; The left-hand gable end has round windows in stone surrounds flanking the stack to each storey, the lower ones moulded. It south side as stone ovolo-moulded 2-light mullioned windows on each floor (the lower window concealed by the later kitchen extension). Right-hand gable end also has stone ovolo-moulded window in upper storey. 3-light transomed window with small 2-light casement to its right in ground floor of north elevation, and 3-light casement above.
Adjoining the S end of the late C20 kitchen lean-to is a gabled range, possibly a former bakehouse. It is of stone under a slate roof with brick end stack to E, the E end on boulder footings. Raised doorway with glazed door under a gabled half-dormer to S side; late C20 wooden casements, those to W end under segmental brick heads; skylights to roofpitch. Adjoining to SW is a modern garage.

Interior

Hall with opposed doorways and timber-framed passage partition with twin doorways with shaped heads. Jamb of front doorway retains original timber snib. Chamfered cross beam, supported on a projecting post in the rear wall. Chamfered joists. Stone fireplace wall incorporating mural stair in north corner. Steeply cambered bressumer to fireplace with ogee stops to chamfer. Tie-beam immediately in front of chimney has mortices and stave-holes suggesting earlier timber-framed wall on this alignment. The chamfer is stopped at intervals, roughly corresponding to the entrance to the staircase, and to either side of a stone corbel which supports it over the fireplace. Position of C19 staircase indicated by disturbance of ceiling framing in NE corner. Possible early window framed into east wall.
Beyond the partition, a parlour, thought to have been fashioned from the two original service rooms. The ceiling framing treats this as a single room, with uninterrupted chamfer to cross-beam and chamfered joists throughout, but a single slot in the cross-beam may mark the position of a former partition. Fireplace has cambered bressumer with ogee stops to chamfer. To the east, the room is cut into by a narrow staircase housed behind a framed wall with mullioned window, and accessed from the C17 wing.
Chamber over hall has fine open roof, comprising 2 bays with central open collar-beam truss with conspicuous pegging and stop-chamfered principals; 3 tiers of purlins. South wall has tie-beam with central post and raking struts below collar. Similar truss to north, against the stone chimney wall, with evidence for framing below the tie-beam.
The C17 rear range comprises two parallel wings, that to north with chimney. Heavy timber ceilings with chamfered cross-beams and joists. Chamfered timber lintels over stone mullioned windows on each floor in north wing. Collar truss roofs with chamfered principals, 2 purlins and display-pegging. North wing has C19 fireplace to ground floor, with domed brick bread-ovens to either side.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a good late C16 regional house combining timber-framed and stone construction, and with an interesting development sequence with the addition of a rear service wing in the C17.

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.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

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  • II Brynffynon
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