History

Early C20 hotel, a component part of a complete complex built in the 1920s and 1930s. Wern y Wylan was an ambitious project conceived and built by Harry Verney, whose intention was that the development become "the Glyndebourne of the North". Included in the original plans for the complex were shops, petrol pumps, swimming pools and saunas, large guest houses and the hotel at what is now know as Wern y Wylan Court; the hall across the road from the hotel would have been the focus of the development, housing the concert hall complete with sprung dance floor. Sadly the fortunes of the Verney Estate, and the development at Wern y Wylan, were to suffer with the outbreak of the Second World War. The hotel has now been internally re-planned to provide several independent holiday flats.

Exterior

Early C20 hotel with later C20 alterations and additions. The building has rendered or timber clad elevations with brick dressings; green slate roof with tiled ridge and large brick stacks. The complex is a striking essay on the Arts and Crafts/neo vernacular style characterised by a carefully articulated plan, variety in massing, and expressive use of materials and detail.
The principal elevation faces the road to SE, the main entrance was originally between semi-octagonal brick piers offset to R, now part infilled and with large 3-light window with shallow lights at head. Above the window is an embossed gutter with floriate bosses along the length and there is an ogee-patterned hopper, beyond a narrow light to R; there is a paired leaded light to L. In the roof above the former entrance there is a hipped roofed square plan water tower which originally stored water for the entire complex at Wern-y-Wylan. At the base of the tower are modern casement windows; there is a flat-roofed dromer with modern windows to L and smaller dormer with small paired casements to R. Flanking the former entrance are slightly advanced gable bays, to R with small-paned casements, that to L is timber clad with ground floor small-paned casement windows, a modern light in the gable apex above. The bay to far L is further advanced, the ground floor has coloured margin pane detailing in leaded lights, modern 1st floor windows and modern timber porch to far L.
The main entrance was later moved to be set in a gabled bay in the NE elevation, to L is an advanced bay with small-paned casement windows, the water tower above has a painted "blind" window at the head and a small diamond light to R. The entrance is within a broach-stop chamfered arch of 2 orders, the outer arch bears weathered motifs including a portcullis at the head of the arch. Above the entrance is a canted oriel window of small-paned casements. To the R of the entrance there are 2 hipped gable dormers with small-paned casement windows, the ground floor has an original casement window of 3-lights to R and a modern 3-light window to L. The advanced gabled wing at far R has modern windows and entrance with brick surround in the SE angle.
The rear (NW) elevation has a modern glazed conservatory to L of a massive shouldered brick stack; to R is a 4-window range of modern lights emulating the original small-paned casements. The SW elevation has been modernised and has modern windows. There are advanced gabled wings, one to L end and 2 to R; one wing to R has a canted oriel window, the other has an advanced ground floor with modern french windows and patio.

Interior

The interior has been modernised and replanned to provide several independent holiday flats; retains some original brick fireplaces and moulded coving.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a striking essay in Arts and Crafts architecture; it retains much of its original character in the use of materials and retention of some architectural features. The hotel is the best preserved building of this interesting and ambitious C20 development.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29504247

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)