Henllys

Cadw's description

Location

High above the modern A5, to NW of the town reached from a lane that was in the early C19 the main Holyhead Road. On levelled site with broad views to NE.

History

Externally Henllys has a strong early C19 late Georgian character but internally to the southern half there is evidence of an older building, possibly earlier C18. It is said to have been sold in 1730 for 35 guineas and was then known as Plas Mynydd; it was later known as Mount Pleasant before adopting the name Henllys. The northern part has no pre C19 detail.

Exterior

2-storeys with rendered elevations and hipped slate roof, wide boarded eaves and rendered chimney stacks. The principal front is that overlooking the garden and the A5, this is 3-window with full height splayed bay to centre. Mainly 16-pane sash windows; earlier C20 bay extension to centre and modern small pane window to right. The left hand end facing S has 16-pane sash over Victorian square bay with lean-to roof and tall window to the main face. The W side facing the lane has full height advanced bay to centre with small pane sash over main entrance; modern door. Shropshire and North Wales copper fire certificate. Later outhouse projects forward to left of the entrance and has camber headed sash. The roof extends a little lower to left and has a modern kitchen extension behind the outhouse; this extends up to the boundary wall with round arched headed doorway.

Interior

Internally the drawing room and dining room display earlier origins - otherwise the charecter is Regency. The drawing room ceiling is the more refined and has diagonal ribs springing from central square panel containing broad gilded rose; paterae, egg and dart and anthemion and other ornament to ribs. The fine candelabra was made by a local carpenter and was inserted when the house became one of the first in the area to be electrified. The shallow frieze appears earlier than the ceiling with less precise repeated swirling pattern. The picture rail is C19 but earlier than the bay. Gothic marble chimneypiece with ogee iron grate; originally in Ystrad (the Vivod dowager house) and here reused in reverse. The small dining room has similar but simpler ceiling without ribs; large scalloped rose with cicular beaded surround. Both rooms have 6-panel doors and deep panelled reveals. The hall, which originally had scribed marble effect, has elaborate egg and dart cornice and Regency reeded architraves to main rooms. Steep staircase against W wall with 'S' shaped tread ends and turned newel. Coved cornices upstairs and the earlier part of the building again has deep panelled reveals and high skirtings.