Bryn Egwys

Cadw's description

Location

On the corner with Mochdre Road, c100m N of the Church.

History

Built 1898-99 at the expense of Mrs Eleanor Frost (the patron of Christ Church, Bryn y Maen), for her own use, and designed by Douglas and Fordham, architects, of Chester.

Exterior

Roughcast render with rock-faced stone dressings and slate roof with axial and rear gable stacks. The design evokes an Elizabethan house with 2-storeyed, 3 gabled main range, and ‘Tudor’ detailing. Central single storeyed porch, with 4-centred archway with swept hood mould, dated with monogram in the apex of the coped gable. Beneath the gables to either side, the ground floor windows are paired mullioned and transomed lights, with ogee arches in segmental heads to the upper lights, and the upper windows are paired 2-light mullions. Wide central dormer in the roof above the porch, with paired 2-light mullioned windows. 4-light mullioned and transomed stair window in right hand gable return, and paired mullioned and transomed windows to rear wing. Service wing to left hand return with various 2 and 3-light mullioned windows.

Interior

The house is planned with a wide central entrance hall and a spinal corridor running along the rear of the main range, with the main staircase leading off to the right, and a secondary staircase to the left. A moulded timber arch marks the foot of the main staircase which has turned balusters and heavy newels; some stained glass in stair window.

Reason for designation

The house is a good example of the Neo-Elizabethan work of Douglas and Fordham, with a characteristic robustness in its use of materials and the massing of the plan. Historically significant in its association with the church and vicarage at Bryn y Maen, which form a remarkable group of buildings commissioned by Mrs Eleanor Frost.