Llanrhaeadr Hall, Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch, Denbighshire

History

Gentry house of C16 origin, with an open first-floor hall, the trusses and windbracing to which are recorded. The house was purchased by Maurice Jones of Ddol Esq., who served as High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1703, the year of his death. The house, then called Plas Newydd, was later renamed Llanrhaeadr Hall. Extensive alterations were carried out in the 1770s for Richard Parry, who inherited in 1759 and who served as High Sheriff in 1775. These included the present rear pile with its 7-bay garden facade, as well as an ambitious agricultural and stable complex to the N. A scheme for rebuilding by Robert Adam was abandoned, though a landscaping and garden proposal by William Emes, of 1771, appears to have been at least partly carried out. By 1788 the estate was in the ownership of Richard Wilding Esq., who served as sheriff in that year. In 1841-2 the (primary) front range was encased in a Jacobean-style remodelling to designs by Thomas Penson the younger. This resulted in an E-plan front with storeyed porch and scrolled, shaped gables; a contemporary loggia was removed c1939.

Exterior

Medium-sized country house of roughly C-plan, consisting of a C-shaped Jacobean-style front section and a 7-bay Georgian wing to the rear. Of limestone construction with slate roofs, the snecked facade with limestone dressings, and the rear elevation of squared, coursed blocks with sandstone dressings. Two-stage chimneys with chamfered sides, cornicing and moulded capping.

The facade is symmetrical and has a 3-bay recessed central entrance section with advanced, gabled flanking wings. The latter have scrolled, shaped gables with geometric finials, with the windows advanced in shallow, full-height bays. Single 4-light mullioned and transomed windows to the ground and first floors, the latter with C19 4-pane glazing to each light, the former plain-glazed; moulded dripstones. 3-light mullioned second floor windows, lighting the attic floor, with moulded pediments over; 4-pane glazing, as before. Scrolled, shaped gable to storeyed central porch, with parapetted flanking bays, the parapets returned onto the wings. Round-arched entrance with 16-panel oak double doors with 4-pane segmental overlight. 2-light window to the first floor above the entrance, with moulded label and a moulded stringcourse above, the latter continued onto the flanking bays and returned onto the wings. The former have 6-light mullioned and transomed windows to the ground floor and 3-light mullioned windows to the first, with labels as before. In front of the central section, between the flanking wings, is a stone-flagged forecourt, with conjoined octagons in the C17/C18 manner. At the front are C20 low rubble walls with squat piers and ball finials. C19 tooled, tapering limestone pilasters to the side walls. The inner roof pitch of the L advanced wing has a C20 catslide dormer.

Seven-bay symmetrical rear elevation (1770s), with raised ground floor on a moulded plinth; hipped roof behind a sandstone parapet with moulded cornice. The limestone walling was presumably originally stuccoed. Original 12-pane unhorned sashes, recessed and with simply-moulded sandstone architraves; projecting stone sills. The ground floor has a plain sill course linking the windows. Central entrance with full-height architrave, similar to those of the windows. This has modern French windows, with an original 6-pane overlight. The entrance is accessed via a flight of 6 sandstone steps in Perron arrangement, the steps with moulded toes and scrolled ends; plain modern iron balustrade. Rusticated understair with 3-light barred, segmentally-headed cellar light. Flanking the entrance and also at the end bays are further arched cellar windows, with projecting keystones and 6-pane modern glazing. That to the far R has been converted into a cellar entrance and has modern steps from (L to R) and glazed doors; modern iron balustrade.

The 1770s wing terminates on the SE side with a wide, storeyed and canted bay, with sash windows as before. To the L of this the right-hand wing of the Jacobean front section adjoins. This is of 3 bays with scrolled gables, the central one larger and advanced. 4-light mullioned and transomed windows with moulded labels to the ground floor and first floor of the central bay. 3-light windows to the outer bays at first-floor level, with 2-light windows to the attic floor, that to the centre with moulded pediment over. Asymmetrical arrangement of openings to the rubble-faced NW (service) side. This has a central 6-panel door with recessed modern glazed doors to the first floor, the latter with fire escape access. A further, similar fire door with external access is to the far L, serving the raised ground floor of the Georgian wing. 12-pane sashes to both floors, those to the first floor with exposed lintels; some are restorations, and two are in reduced openings.

Interior

Entrance hall with framed ceiling, the beams boxed and plastered. Fielded dado panelling with similar panelled window reveals and shutters. C18 simply-moulded architraves to 4 entrances leading off to R and L, one (R) now blocked; modern, out-of-character fireplace. At the rear 5 steps lead to the raised rear pile of the house. At the top are double-sided double doors giving onto the principal stair well. The doors are oak, 8-panel linenfold to the hall side and C18 3-panel fielded mahogany to the stair side.

The staircase is an elegant mahogany narrow well stair with scrolled end to swept rail; stick balusters with decorated tread-ends. Oak treads and risers, with fielded dado panelling running up the stair and around the walls of the stair well. Simple modillion cornice to ceiling, the latter with applied C19 Jacobean strapwork. At the stairhead on the first floor is a moulded, depressed-arched opening with modern doors and partitioning. Leading off from the stair well to R and L are fine 6-panel mahogany doors. The latter leads to a modern corridor with a short-flight Jacobean-style stair; flat, pierced balusters with geometric newels. The former door leads to the Drawing Room. This has a painted Adamesque wooden chimneypiece with grey figured marble surround. Adam-style swag frieze and cornice, with similar overdoors having pilasters with palmette and plaque decoration; panelled dado, shutters and reveals.

The front L ground-floor room has an 1840s figured grey marble fireplace, with segmental arch and simple mantelshelf supported upon pilasters. The corresponding right-hand room has a compartmented Jacobethan ceiling with geometrical ribbing and moulded segmental archesto either side of a central Adamesque fireplace; (painted) 1770s steel grate.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* for its special historic interest as a Jacobean-style country house by Thomas Penson, having an earlier core including a 1770s rear elevation, and retaining particularly good external character with some fine interior detail.

Group value with other listed items at Llanrhaeadr Hall.

External Links

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