Caerynwch

Cadw's description

Location

Located in its own park 2km SE of Brithdir in a hollow facing the Afon Clywedog; at the end of a long drive running S from the Pont ar Ddibin.

History

Late C18 Georgian country house built by Lord Chief Baron Richards of the exchequer who married the heiress of the nearby Old Caerynwch. Altered and extended c.1860, and c.1901 by the Richards family; modern additions.

Exterior

Of large, rough-dressed stone blocks with shallow-pitched hipped slate roofs and deep oversailing eaves. Amorphous plan, mainly of 2 storeys. The primary block is to the S and is essentially square. 4-bay S (entrance) front with off-centre entrance to bay 3. This has a C19 single-storey portico with plain paired pillars and plain entablature with part-dentillated cornice. Part-glazed C19 double entrance doors and C20 multi-pane glazed sides. Tall C19 6-pane windows to the ground floor (C19 and elegant, slightly recessed original 12-pane sashes to the first floor. Adjoining to the R and slightly advanced, a single-storey 2-bay addition with shallow hipped roof as before; long 12-pane sash windows. Symmetrical W (garden) front with 2 wide, shallow storeyed bow windows flanking a slightly recessed central bay. C19 glazing: French windows to the latter with wooden C19 canted bays attached to the bows on the ground floor; these with plain-sash windows. Tripartite sash windows to the upper bows with a further plain sash to the first floor centre.

Adjoining to the N a storeyed 3-bay extension of c.1860; construction as before. Plain sashes to both floors with central storeyed bay window. Further, single-storey extension beyond with similar bay; built as a billiard room c.1901. Part-rendered E (service) side with modern additions.

The house stands on a raised terrace which steps-down to the W.

Interior

This was not inspected during the survey (February 1995). However, panelled doors, contemporary plaster cornices and a fine central stair well with swept-rail stairs and iron balusters are known to survive.

Reason for designation

A large, restrained late C18 house with additions and alterations but retaining much of its elegance and character.