History

Garthgynan is possibly a mid-C17 house, with a double-pile plan including a lateral chimney on its south elevation facing the garden. The original house appears to have been of stone, but either it was partially rebuilt at an early date in brickwork, or the original builders changed material. The house includes tall ribbed diagonal chimneys, and mullion windows with hood moulds in the stonework of the gables, which may also be mid-C17. Built into the adjacent cottage and outbuilding is a datestone of 1658 with initials WW, probably taken from the house during an alteration. The garden layout emphasises the gentry status of Garthgynan.

The front (north) elevation has been much refashioned. It appears to have been brickwork from the start, probably of five bays, with stone quoins and two stone string courses. It was completely refenestrated in the late C18, the work including an extensive rebuild of the brickwork around the new windows set out in three bays; at the same time the eaves level was raised from just above the upper string course to the present height, changing the elevation from two to three storeys. The garden (south) elevation was also refenestrated.

Garthgynan is a township of Llanfair parish. The house was perhaps built by William Wynn, who was sheriff of Denbigh in 1651; it appears to have descended to the Williams family of Llanforda.

Exterior

A large farmhouse with a brickwork front elevation; the rear and side elevations are partly in local coursed limestone and partly in brickwork. The house has slate roofs and coped main gables. The original brickwork is in English Garden Wall bond. The house is double-pile, mostly 2½ storeys, part 3 storeys, and has a rear gabled bay of slight projection with bargeboards. The front pile has end chimneys; the rear pile has an end chimney at west only and a very substantial lateral chimney facing the garden. All the chimneys are carried well above roof level before dividing into star or ribbed diagonal stacks. One small rooflight at rear. Tie anchor plates on the rear gable.

The front elevation is nearly symmetrical, of three bays, with the right window position moved in to avoid the kitchen chimney. In the outer positions 12- or 6-pane sash windows with timber mullions and side sashes; in the centre position 16- or 8-pane sash windows; all sashes hornless, all frames concealed. The rear elevation includes three 16-pane hornless sash windows in exposed frames.

Single storey monopitch annex at right (west), with rear porch; brickwork, slate roof.

A rubble limestone wall with irregular coping marks the boundary of the house site with the farmyard.

Interior

Three unit plan in both front and rear piles; central staircase of C17 with solid newels and bulbous turned balusters; upper flight of lighter construction. There is also a servants' staircase, very narrow and steep. The right unit at front is the kitchen, with a large fireplace with cambered bressummer and oven at its right. The kitchen ceiling has two exposed main beams, that nearer fireplace has unused mortice holes and is perhaps relocated. There is a large cellar with stepped tongued chamfers on the floor beams above.

Attics open to roof: rafters pegged into mortices in the purlins. An original principal rafter is detectable at right of centre at the front of the house, showing that the front has been heightened.

Reasons for Listing

A C17 farmhouse with C18 alterations, retaining much of its original fabric, and the centrepiece of a very well preserved set of garden and agricultural buildings.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17741833

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

• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)