History

Teyrdan was the seat, from c1579 of a branch of the regionally important Holland family; in that year Humphrey Holland married Annest the heiress of Teyrdan. It is most likely that the present house is essentially that built by them; Humphrey died in 1616. The house remained with the family until the late C18 when the last (John) Holland left two heiresses, Margaret (who married Simon Yorke of Erddig) and Mary who married John Lloyd Wynne of nearby Coed Coch, thereby incorporating the house into the latter's estate. Hollands of Teyrdan served as High Sheriffs of Denbighshire in 1680, 1707 and 1751.

A topographical watercolour by Moses Griffiths (c1770) shows the house as a double-pile building with a further range (now lost) to the R, implying a sub-medieval unit-planned development. The essential plan-form of the main (present) house is however the same, with the exception of the re-roofing in the early C20 with a single pitched roof and the re-location of the fine moulded entrance. This, together with 3 surviving arched-headed ovolo-moulded mullioned windows represents a survival from the late C16 house; in the early C18 this moulded, flat-arched entrance was given a segmental pediment in an attempt to bring it more in line with contemporary fashion; it is probable that this alteration, together with the provision of a rear garden entrance (with inscribed Latin motto to its lintel) are of the period of Thomas Holland, High Sheriff in 1707.

Exterior

Storeyed house of irregular T-plan consisting of a main L-shaped range with a lower wing to the SE. Of rubble construction partly with boulder foundations, with remains of former whitewash; slate roofs, hipped to the front and L and with plain bargeboards to the gable at R; off-set clustered chimney stacks, plastered and with plain cornices. The front (main) facade is of 4 bays with the larger L-hand bay advanced to form the L-plan. This has elegant late C18 or early C19 16-pane unhorned sash windows to the ground and first floors, both with cambered heads; rough-dressed voussoirs. The 3-bay recessed (main) section has the entrance at L (moved in the C19 from the centre). This has a finely-moulded, square-headed late C16 sandstone doorcase, with characteristic ribbed run-out chamfering; above is a moulded label. A later segmental pediment with cable-moulding surmounts this. The entrance is obscured by a modern out-of-character glazed conservatory-style porch. The ground and first-floor windows are 12-pane unhorned sashes with segmental heads and brick voussoirs.

The R gable shows considerable masonry disturbance including the early extension of the primary range to the rear (thereby creating a double pile, since the early C20 incorporated under one wide pitched roof). The ground floor has a 12-pane sash in a reduced opening. The first floor has two fine 3-light sandstone mullioned windows contemporary with the Elizabethan entrance; these have depressed arched heads to the lights and flat moulded labels; that to the L is blocked but in situ, whilst that to the R has clearly been relocated and has plain C20 glazing. Above is a further, 2-light window of similar type.

The rear is set against a steep grassy slope. It has a central gabled projection with a first-floor entrance off-centre L via a slate bridge; this has a 4-panel door with limestone chamfered lintel inscribed: 'Delicias habet omnae suas & gandia tectum' (all the house has its delights and joys). To the R of this is a large 15-pane unhorned sash window with limestone lintel as before; to the L are 2 small windows to the raised ground and basement floors, the latter with cambered head. In the gable apex is a further large 12-pane sash with cambered head. The 2-bay section to the R of the gabled projection has 2 similar cambered 12-pane windows, with small cambered windows to the basement floor. To the L, extruded between the main block and the gabled projection, is a modern lean-to porch. Beyond is a small C20 2-pane window with cambered head and a blocked cambered window above.

Set back and adjoining the main front to the L is a lower C18 2-storey addition (shown in the Moses Griffiths view). This has an end chimney with paired, off-set stacks. Part-glazed early C20 door to R with single windows to both floors at L, that to the ground floor with cambered head; modern out-of-character uPVC glazing.

Interior

Plain C19 pine boarded panelling to entrance hall, with contemporary 4-panel doors. Simple late Regency fireplace and panelled reveals to ground-floor room at R (former hall). At the end of the entrance hall a wide narrow well stair ascends to the first floor. This is in essence an early C18 oak stair with original treads and risers and scrolled tread ends; the pine stick balustrade and rail are however C19 replacements. The first floor has a gallery, balustraded as before and giving access to the raised rear (former garden) entrance. A C19 corkscrew stair continues to the attic floor in the R corner. Wide segmentally-arched fireplace to the ground floor room of the advanced wing (formerly, as now, the kitchen).

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special interest as a formerly important gentry house with C16 origins.

Group value with other listed items at Teyrdan.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29480832

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 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)