History

c1780 substantial coach-house and stable ranges around a central courtyard. The quality of the design suggests an architect of national importance and the evidence that Thomas Sandby, architect of London, was commissioned to design the remarkable Bleachworks (demolished) at Lleweni makes it likely that Sandby was also the architect of this carriage yard. This impressive estate improvement was carried out contemporary with the remodelling of Lleweni Hall.

Lleweni was the home of the Salusbury family who were amongst the most prominent in North Wales from C15 to C17. In late C17 Sir Robert Cotton had designs for a new house prepared but it was only partially completed. In early C18 a formal courtyard was created and in the later C18 a new Gothick front was added. The major remodelling and estate improvements of the late C18 were for Thomas Fitzmaurice (Earl of Shelburne) who bought Lleweni between 1775 and 1780. This work is believed to have been carried out by Sandby, and there are surviving drawings by him for the great Bleachworks at Lleweni which were intended to provide work for the tenants, bleaching the linen from the flax grown on Fitzmaurice's Irish estates. In 1810 Lleweni was bought by Revd Edward Hughes of Kinmel whose son demolished much of the house between 1816 and 1818 reputedly because it would not suit his wife's health but possibly an error on the part of his land agent as Hughes apparently deeply regretted the destruction of the old house. c1890 Miss Roberts founded a Model Dairy School here which was regarded as the finest in Britain. Further demolition of the house was carried out in 1928 but despite this a significant amount remains. The carriage yard remains complete although disused and in increasingly poor condition.

Exterior

Large classical stable and coach-house complex designed on a rectangular plan around a central courtyard and distinctive for its arcaded treatment and corner pavilions. Built of Flemish bond red brick with dressed stone detailing reserved for the pavilions but with continuous paired band courses of brick at impost level; slate roofs, hipped to the pavilions and the north end. The whole consists of two, parallel, single-storey, ranges, that to the east (front) for the horses and that to the west (rear) for the carriages; at the north end is the large, two-storey, dwelling for the coachmen and the south end was gated between the two, two-storey, pavilions which contained offices, workshops and other ancillary accommodation.

The main front to the east is continuously arcaded along its 3 11 3-bay length. There is a dentil cornice and the two-storey pavilions have a further band course below eaves. The arcaded ground floor bays of the pavilions are more deeply recessed and have dressed stone arches, imposts and guttae; the central one of these bays has an inner arched head creating the effect of a broad Venetian window although later timber casements have been inserted into the former blind openings. Above are three 1st floor window openings with apron detailing. Below the imposts along the full length are stone or plaster paterae. Some of the bays to the 11-bay section have been rendered over and painted with dummy small-pane sash windows; bays 9 and 11 have actual 12-pane sashes. Above the paired band courses are blind lunettes at the level of the hay-loft. Similar west (rear) elevation to the western range, where there was a square-headed cartshed to each of the central 11-bays except that to the centre which has a through-access to the courtyard. The cartsheds to bays 4 and 5 have been filled in and given doorways and the hay-loft lunettes to alternate bays have tripartite windows. Below the impost on each bay are paterae as on the east front. The main carriage access was on the south side where there is a screen wall between the two end pavilions; this was formerly gated. The south faces of the pavilions have blind round-arches to the same height as before and blind 1st floor windows with apron detailing. The arcading continues to the west and east (inner) faces of these pavilions but all glazing is missing from the windows. The north end has the large 2-storey house with massive gabled porch and tall round-arched entrance. Dentil cornice, impost band and paterae continued; brick chimney. 1st floor has camber-headed openings with small-pane casement windows and the ground floor has 20-pane sashes, with voussoired heads, to all sides; some retain shutters.

On the inner side of the carriage yard most of the windows are blind and the floors are divided by the doubled band course as on the outer elevations. The rear of the house has a tall round-arched relieving arch and the west range has a central arch for the covered carriageway.

Interior

In increasingly derelict condition at time of inspection and many fittings removed. The house retains some shutters and a cast-iron range to the kitchen.

Reasons for Listing

Listed grade II* as one of the finest surviving examples of a later C18 carriage yard, possibly one of the few surviving works by Thomas Sandby.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17741233

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Old House Care and Repair