Wynne's Park Nursing Home (main block only)

Cadw's description

Location

On the south-east side of Denbigh, 0.5km from the main A525 at Brookhouse. Set back from the country lane, close to modern housing development.

History

Dated 1905. Built for G S G Francis, to the designs of E Guy Dawber, the well-known late C19/early C20 country house architect who was closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and was a leading member of the Art Workers Guild. From 1958 to 1969 Wynne's Parc was the home of the internationally famous nuclear physicist, Sir James Chadwick. Since 1970 it has been modernised and enlarged in three phases in conversion to nursing home.

Exterior

Arts and Crafts, 2-storey and attic small country house with painted roughcast elevations, slate roofs, roughcast chimney stacks and leaded glazing. The asymmetrical design of the 3-bay front is focused on the projecting gabled porch which is largely faced in reused masonry (although not from a building previously on the site - see 1st edition OS map). The gable is roughcast and in a C17 manner with apex finial and semicircular ornament at the base of the stone parapet; central lozenge-shaped datestone inscribed 'G S G 1905 F', with axial roundels. 3-light leaded glazed timber-framed window over recessed entrance with bracketed hood, splayed jambs and segmental headed studded door. Taller gabled bay to right is distinctive for its 2-storey oriel bay with bracketed hood to top and console brackets to base; leaded glazing replaced to 1st floor; the two floors are united by timber pilasters and have stuccoed garland to centre; attic window has full-width dripmould implying jettying of the gable. To the left of the porch the eaves have rounded iron brackets, bracketed and splayed oriel and offset 5-light 1st floor window; chimney stack removed from rear. Downpipes dated 1905. Left gable-end has end pilaster strips and blind, semicircular arch over 4-light 1st floor window; 5-light window below. Similar treatment to the gable which is advanced at centre of the right hand elevation and has 2 and 3-light windows. Small, single-storey, service block at right angles.

This listing does not include the modern ranges attached to the rear.

Interior

The character of the parlour, to the left of the entrance hall, is well-preserved with 3-well ceiling enriched by plasterwork foliage trails to the cornice and beams. Similar plaster detail to segmental-headed chimneypiece which has marble surround. Some original window furniture retained. Staircase has simple Arts and Crafts openwork balustrade and panelled newel and finial. One 1st floor room has barrel-shaped ceiling.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a small country house that, despite additions, has retained its distinctive Arts and Crafts character and also for its importance as a Welsh example of the work of the architect Sir Guy Dawber.