History

Bathafarn Park (as it was called until the C19) originated as a medieval deer park belonging to the castle at Ruthin under the ownership of the Lords de Grey. By the mid C16 a cadet branch of the notable Thelwall family of nearby Plas-y-Ward had established itself here. Successive generations of Thelwalls continued at Bathafarn until its acquisition by marriage by the Price family (of Rhiwlas) in the early C18. Several Thelwalls held court offices during the C16 and C17, including John Thelwall (1533-1630), created Steward of Ruthin by King James I, and Ambrose Thelwall (1570-1653), Yeoman of the Robes to King James, King Charles I and Prince Charles (later King Charles II). Robert Price and Richard Price, both of Bathafarn Park, held office as High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1733 and 1770 respectively. The house was purchased by Joseph Ablett of Llanbedr Hall c1833.

The present house is essentially an early C19 remodelling of an earlier, probably late C17 or early C18 house, and was perhaps originally of double-pile plan [a Moses Griffiths watercolour (c1770) shows a 7-bay house with segmental-headed windows and parapets]. The main facades of the present house were cosmetically altered c1910 when they were roughcast and given applied classical detailing (pilasters, cornice, doorcase etc.) in cement plaster. The house is currently split up into seven flats.

Exterior

Square, 2-storey country house of roughcast brick construction with sandstone window dressings and cement-plaster detailing; hipped slate roof with 3 plain rendered chimneys. Symmetrical W (entrance) and S fronts with moulded cornices and applied pilasters. The former is of three bays and has a central entrance with large pedimented doorcase. This is stepped-up and has bolection-moulded and rusticated treatment, all in cement; 6-panel, raised and fielded double doors. Elegant sash windows, unhorned and of 12 panes, with projecting sandstone sills and moulded cement labels; external louvred and painted wooden shutters. The S side is of 5 bays, the central 3 forming a large storeyed segmental bow. This has a stepped-up open ground-floor stage, with plain rendered pilasters supporting the first floor. Within (on the ground floor) are 20-pane French windows with tall flanking 15-pane sashes. The remaining ground and first floor windows are shuttered sashes as before.

Four-bay E side, the three left-hand bays with similar windows. The right-hand bay is recessed and has windows on 3 floors, a 16-pane unhorned sash to the upper and tripartite windows to the ground and first floors. The latter have central 12-pane and 6-pane sections to the first and ground floors respectively, each with flanking narrow sections of 4 and 2 panes. Asymmetrical rear elevation, with un-shuttered sash windows and a large stair-light.

Adjoining the E elevation flush to the R is a 4-bay, single-storey, flat-roofed addition. This is early C20 and has 12-pane sashes to the front and an entrance with modern part-glazed door to its recessed right-hand part; further modern entrance to the N. A further C20 single-storey extension adjoins to the N.

Interior

Large early C20 well stair with moulded oak rail, treads and risers; turned, painted balusters to stair and first-floor galleried landing; panelled understair.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special interest as an elegant early C19 country house, with earlier origins and important local historical associations as the former seat of the Thelwall and Price families, and with well-conceived early C20 remodelling to the main facades.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29481238

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 Care and Repair
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record