Borras Head

Cadw's description

Location

Situated to the S of Borras Road, just before the turning for the by-road which runs from the A534 to Gresford.

History

Mid-late C17 house in Classical manner, with later additions and alterations. The house was sold to Lord Kenyon in 1803. It is known to have been occupied by John Roberts in 1838-1839 who was the Mayor of Holt at that time.

Exterior

3 storeys with attics, brown brick in English garden wall bond, slate roof, gable end brick stacks. Sandstone quoins and string courses to first and second floors. Ground floor has centrally placed C20 door, to either side are symmetrically placed single 3-light windows with cross frames, and later inserted glazing with margin lights. The first floor is accentuated in a piano nobile manner, framed by sandstone string courses the central bay is entirely taken up with what appears to be a blocked doorway with moulded sandstone surround, although the fact that the brickwork is identical to the rest of this façade suggests that this may be a central design feature. To either side 2 symmetrically placed 2-light windows with cross framing and later inserted glazing with margin lights. All windows have rough brick segmental arches. The second storeys contains 5 similar windows. To the left a 2 storey brick extension, slate roof and gable end brick stack. To ground floor 2 C20 windows and door. To first floor 2 small pane casement windows. Right and left gable elevations contain a number of blocked windows with mid-late C17 rough brick segmental arches. Rear elevation: 2 storey staircase brick extension with slate catslide roof with segmental archway set back into it. A change in the ground levels means that the ground floor C20 door and window on this elevation are level with the first half landing on the main stairs. First floor 2-light small paned casement window with rough brick arch set above. Second floor 1 multi-paned casement window and single staircase window.

Interior

Double-pile construction with central hall and rear staircase. The two rooms to each side share corner stacks at the centre of the gable ends on all floors. Good mid-late C17 staircase with heavy rail and turned balusters on moulded close-string and rectangular newels with capping. Stairs run through all three storeys and continue to the attics. Number of exposed heavy chamfered beams with stops and wide boarded doors with strap hinges and latches.

Reason for designation

Listed at grade II* as an extremely interesting and well designed mid-late C17 house.