Park House

Cadw's description

Location

Opposite Gorsedd Gardens.

History

Built in 1871-5 for James McConnochie, dock engineer to Bute Estate, Mayor of Cardiff 1880. Designed by William Burges, architect, amongst leading architects and designers of his day.

Exterior

House in powerful French Gothic style. Snecked rock-faced grey Caerphilly stone with Boxground (bathstone ) dressings; steeply-pitched slate roofs, stone chimneys. Two storeys plus attic, over basement. On right hand side advanced gabled block (Fleur-de-lys pinnacle) with paired Gothic windows to attic, and two Gothic windows of 2 lights with straight heads divided by Romanesque columns; arched tympana with hexafoils. Ground floor windows with three lights and two transoms divided by a buttress. To L, 2 attic dormers; on first floor, 3 windows as in gabled block; on first floor, arcade of 3 bays with pointed Gothic arches and granite columns with floreated capitals, string course with gargoyles. Basement with 3 mullion and transom windows and one 3-light arched window (R). Left elevation of 2 gables; tall chimney to front gable; 4-light Gothic window with plate tracery to rear gable. Entrance in north side through Gothic loggia of granite columns with foliated caps; original wooden doors. To rear, S gabled block with mullion and transom window to attic, 2 similar windows to first floor, and 5-light mullion and transom window to ground floor. Steel staircase encased in glass by Hoggett, Lock-Necrews, 1990.

Interior

Entrance lobby faces underside of staircase, and then leads to high stair hall with broad timber staircase with richly carved mahogany balustrade. At half landing (which is above entrance) stair divides, 3-bay Gothic window dominates hall with panelled and vaulted ceiling. Also on ground floor, drawing room, ante room to dining room, and dining room; heavily beamed ceilings, half round beams on stone corbels, arched grey and white fireplaces under mahogany overmantels with colonettes and mirrors. On first floor, 3 bedrooms.

Reason for designation

Graded I as striking Gothic house by important architect which set pattern for much housing in Cardiff in later C19. Perhaps the most important C19 town house in Wales.