Rackery Hall ( including attached forecourt walls)

Cadw's description

Location

Situated c1.6km NW of Llay village on the S side of the B5373. Reached from a drive with circular gravel forecourt and set within a walled garden.

History

Early C18 remodelling of an earlier, probably C17 house. Refenestrated C19, some C20 alterations to sides and rear. Thought to have been rebuilt for Richard Jones (d 1752) a local apothecary. The house was known locally as Apothecary Hall. Said to have been fire damaged in the early C20.

Exterior

Hand made red brick, Flemish bond to front elevation, English garden wall bond to others; sandstone plinth and quoins, sandstone string course to the first floor. Slate roof with stone copings and kneelers to gables, red brick chimneys rise from gable ends. Wooden cornice with plain brackets. 2 storeys with attic and basement. Symmetrical front elevation: central door with shell canopy, 4 windows to ground floor are recessed with 4-pane horned sashes and painted stone lintels and stone cills. Second floor has 5 similar windows; attic storey has 3 small gabled 4-pane dormers. Rear elevation has 4 later windows which are set in possibly C17 window openings. C20 single storey addition formed in part from a stone dairy. Brick walls with stone copings are attached to each side of the house, they are cranked and run parallel to the drive creating a formal enclosure.

Interior

retains many early C18 features including an oak well staircase with closed string and turned balusters which rises through the full height of the building. Remains of kitchen fireplace with bread oven to one of ground floor rooms. Wide boarded doors and chamfered and stopped ceiling beams to ground floor rooms. First floor room contains powder cupboard. The cellar retains a stone mullioned window.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of an early C18 house with earlier origins which retains many contemporary features.