Bryn Asaph including Gate House Range

Cadw's description

Location

About 2/3 mile S of the city, reached by a short drive; wooded grounds and terraced lawns.

History

Built by Thomas Jones of Chester in earlier C19 and then remodelled by John Douglas in 1879. Reconstructed internally ca 1934 by E C Inston.

Exterior

Asymmetrical stepped Arts and Crafts mainly 2 storey pebbledash front; slate roofs and brick chimney stacks with panels and cornices; brick quoins, window dressings and ground floor cornice to left. 2-window range forward to S end with raised gable (retaining finial and bargeboards) to right and dressed stone asymmetrically stepped chimney breast to middle with inserted modern window to 1st floor; mainly sash windows. Similar gable set back to right over oriel with cross frame glazing, leaded upper lights. Modern entrance below but there is evidence of having had a pitched roof porch. 3-storey square turret adjoins to right with pyramidal roof and finial and small pane windows. Further bay set back to right with similar but larger roof; small pane window to dormer with splayed out eaves to front; 3 and 4-light windows below and another window recessed behind semi-circular arch with stepped imposts to return wall behind turret. Gable with paired sashes set back to right and cross range advanced beyond forming the S range of the Service courtyard; broad chimney breast and stepped corbels to splayed angles.

3 + 1 window gabled S front including advanced gable end to right; similar rendering. Ornate cusped bargeboards to left hand three bays, finial to right hand gable. Mixture of window-types, mainly sash; 4-light cross frame window to right and 2-light Gothick sash to centre left. Cast iron verandah below wraps around the corner to depth of 1 bay; multicusped aternately narrow and broad Gothic arches of Llwynegrin, Mold. The verandah was not part of Jones' original design but was probably added by him later. Tudor hoodmoulds to gabled rear with similarly cusped bargeboards and finials. The S range of the service courtyard ends to the rear in a similar manner to the front.

Adjoining to N is the brick gatehouse to the stable courtyard by Douglas; slate roof, conical over stair turret to grooms room. Brick voussoirs to arches through to courtyard; arches to sides are filled in. Coach house is L-plan, modern garage openings to rear.

Interior

Interior retains tripartite Gothic entrance; plaque in entrance hall relates to the 1934 opening of the Post Office and Telecommunications Workers Convalescent Home. Quatrefoil detail to drawing room cornice and fireplace by Douglas in dining room.