Hand Hotel

Location

The hotel is placed at the N end of Church Street, facing down Station Avenue.

History

The hotel was built as a hostelry on the Holyhead Road in the mid C18, largely to serve travellers on the road to and from Ireland. It has been extended to the N in the late C19. The building adjoining to the S and still retained by the hotel is probably the late C17 or early C18 precursor, later the town house for the Chirk Estate. Since altered. The hostelry's former brewery in the back range, of c1790, was demolished for new accommodation.

Exterior

Built in red brick to Flemish bond, set on a stone plinth, and having stone sill bands to ground and first floors, and a hipped slate roof. The main early block is of 3 storeys and cellars, 5 bays, comprising a 3-bay centre set slightly forward of the single end bays. Central entrance, a Tuscan portico set on a half-round step, and carrying a flat topped entablature. Pair of panelled doors with a 5-paned overlight. The ground and first floors are of the same height and similarly glazed as usual for hostelries, tripartite 12-pane sashes with gauged brick lintels, now rendered. The top floor has shorter windows of similar width, 9-pane sashes. Stone moulded eaves. Large rebuilt chimney stacks set in from the end bays. Above the portico, a cast iron bracket for the inn sign. The extension to the N is similar in style, 2 and a half bays. To the rear, a C19 range at right angles with steep pitched roof.

Interior

The interior has been considerably altered.

Reason for designation

Included as a fine example of an C18 hostelry with contemporary fenestration, set in the Conservation Area of Chirk.