Latitude: 53.2265 / 53°13'35"N
Longitude: -3.453 / 3°27'10"W
OS Eastings: 303095
OS Northings: 370921
OS Grid: SJ030709
Mapcode National: GBR 6L.0MQT
Mapcode Global: WH65P.X5WC
Plus Code: 9C5R6GGW+HQ
Entry Name: Dolbelidr
Listing Date: 30 January 1968
Last Amended: 2 June 1998
Grade: II*
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 176
Building Class: Domestic
ID on this website: 300000176
Location: Located in a picturesque setting on the S side of the river Elwy at the SE boundary of the community; accessed via a long track running N from Brynwgan farm, itself accessible via a track leading NE f
County: Denbighshire
Town: St Asaph
Community: Cefnmeiriadog
Community: Cefnmeiriadog
Locality: Ffynnon Fair
Traditional County: Denbighshire
Tagged with: Building
Dolbelidr appears to have been the seat of a branch of the Salusburys of Lleweni already in the C14 and was affiliated with (and probably pre-dated) the neighbouring Salusbury house of Galltfaenan. The present house is a late C16 minor gentry house of the storied end-chimney type. It was probably built for Henry Salesbury, physician and grammarian, who wrote his 'Grammatica Britannica' here, published in 1593; his Welsh-Latin dictionary was also produced during the same period. In plan-form the house represents a curious varient of the more typical type, with a central service bay occupying one end of the cross-passage.
The house was habitable until the early years of this century (at which point it was still accessed across the river Elwy via stilts); the building is currently roofless and one truss has fallen-in (11/97).
Storeyed end-chimney house of rough-dressed local limestone rubble construction, formerly with small-slate roof; slab-coped and kneelered gable parapets and tall chimneys of finely-dressed stone with original moulded capping. Off-centre entrances, the E side with a fine cyclopean arched lintel; the door is missing. To the R is the original long hall window with diagonally-set oak mullioned and transomed lights, 7 in all. Further, similar windows to L of entrance and to first-floor, some fragmentary. C18 or early C19 external stepped access to first floor of L gable with stone steps and slab coping; contemporary bowed oven projection to the L of this.
Stopped-chamfered ceiling beams and joists (in places collapsed) with stopped-chamfered fireplace lintels; part of an original post-and-panel partition screen survives, retaining interesting Napoleonic period graffiti. 3-bay original roof of arched-braced collar truss type; partly fallen.
Listed II* for its special historic interest as the home of the Elizabethan grammarian Henry Salesbury, and for its special architectural interest as a fine late C16 example of a vernacular storied end-chimney house.
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