History in Structure

White Gates, Screens and Piers NW of Leeswood Hall

A Grade I Listed Building in Leeswood, Flintshire

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.1457 / 53°8'44"N

Longitude: -3.1225 / 3°7'21"W

OS Eastings: 325015

OS Northings: 361538

OS Grid: SJ250615

Mapcode National: GBR 70.5XNZ

Mapcode Global: WH77D.06C8

Plus Code: 9C5R4VWG+7X

Entry Name: White Gates, Screens and Piers NW of Leeswood Hall

Listing Date: 6 November 1962

Last Amended: 5 December 1997

Grade: I

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 285

Building Class: Domestic

ID on this website: 300000285

Location: Situated on the N side of the by-road between Mold and Leeswood Village, situated at the terminus of axis of the landscaped avenue which slopes downhill from the NW façade of Leeswood Hall.

County: Flintshire

Community: Leeswood and Pontblyddyn

Community: Leeswood and Pontblyddyn

Locality: Leeswood Hall

Traditional County: Flintshire

Tagged with: Gate

Find accommodation in
Nerquis

History

c1726, designed as a screen or 'clair-voie' at the S end of Switzer's great N-S landscape axis. Switzer introduced the concept of 'ferme ornee' at the beginning of the eighteenth century and the screen acted as a terminus for the formal managed parkland and was designed to lead the viewer's eye out into the open informal landscape. Long thought to be the work of the Davies brothers of Wrexham; recent restoration work has suggested that infact the ironwork may be by Robert Bakewell who is known to have worked with Francis Smith, architect of Warwick on a number of other projects. An C18 view shows the screen and gates flanked by the lodges and side gates later positioned with the Black Gates, although the latter have now been moved to The Tower.

Exterior

Magnificent 30.5m spread consisting of double wrought ironwork gates to centre, openwork iron piers, twin-bay side screens with iron work piers and outer stone piers topped by lead sphinxes. Low curving brick walls to either side.

Double arched centre gates with plain uprights, spear dog bars and wavy lock-bar. Arched overthrow bearing scrollwork foliage, diamond fret pattern and Wynne crest; pilaster supports with foliage corner bosses. Main openwork piers with diamond fretting to scrollwork panels, foliage bosses ogee domed caps with square urn finials containing ironwork flower sprays. Twin open pediments to screens with arched dolphins the Wynne emblem, other detailing as before. Outer scrolled finials attached to rusticated Doric piers with triglyph frieze and fluted corner pilasters, rusticated plinths. Modillion cornice support fine (later?) sphinxes.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade I as an exceptionally fine example of C18 iron work of national importance and for its important contribution to an outstanding early C18 planned landscape park.

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

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.