Henblas Hall

Location

At west side of the B5429 Tremeirchion to Bodfari Road, 1 km south of Tremeirchion Parish Church

History

Henblas Hall may have originated as an early C17 H-plan house of hall and cross-wing form with lobby entry: the wing parallel to the road has a date-stone of 1611 and may have been the cross wing of a house of that date or a little earlier. Masonry in the narrow central (hall) range (together with the axial brick stack in this range), and the broad west side is also suggestive of an early date, though these ranges have been re-worked, perhaps in the C18, and certainly in 1897. It seems likely however, that the broad planning of an earlier house was retained in this later work, perhaps including the site of the main entrance backing onto the principal chimney.

Exterior

Two storey house in local axe-dressed limestone with slate roofs. Planned as short main (hall) range with two cross wings, the eastern of which is dated 1611. This has a broad lateral stack in a gabled projection on the road-facing elevation (with added lean-to alongside). Its main elevation has 4-light mullioned and transomed window on each storey, and there are smaller stone-mullioned windows in its rear elevation. Short hall range has segmentally headed arched doorway with chamfered voussoirs, backing onto brick axial stack. 4-light mullioned window to left of entrance is C19. As is the 3-light oak mullioned window in dormer gable above. Broad west wing is slightly advanced, and has C19 mullioned and transomed windows on each floor. West elevation of this wing represents an arts and crafts composition, feathuring storeyed porch to left of centre, balancing gabled full-height canted bay to the right. This has stone mullioned and transomed window wrapped around the ground floor, and smaller oak mullioned window above. Segmentally headed doorway in porch, with oak mullioned window over. Small mullioned window between the two, and transomed window to left of porch. Upper storey has curious band of timber framing with brick infill: does it mark a raising of the original wall height? Brick axial stack with ribbed shafts.

Interior

Interior of the older wing not inspected.

In the later portion of the house there is relocated wainscot, believed to have originated in a church or chapel.

Reason for designation

Listed as an early C17 house, retaining early character in plan, and some early fabric; reworked in arts and crafts idiom, freely interpreting the regional vernacular character in the remodelled west range.