The Old Rectory

Cadw's description

Location

Located towards the SE edge of the town; occupying a commanding hillside position S of the Afon Crafnant, close to the old Trefriw woollen mills.

History

c.1842 Rectory built by Lord Willoughby de Eresby of Gwydir Castle in simple Tudor style and contemporary with his restoration of the parish church of St. Mary.

Exterior

Twin-gabled storeyed house of rough L plan, with lower service range adjoining to the S. Of squared, coursed slate-stone blocks under a renewed slate roof with plain modern bargeboards. There are 2 large chimneys, one straddling each of the piles. These are of 2 stages with curious dentilated ornament in three courses to the upper ones; plain cornice bands. Symmetrical 3-bay front to main block with raised ground floor on a chamfered plinth. Single-storey porch to centre, accessed via 4 slate steps. This has a depressed-arched opening with projecting, shaped keystone and imposts, and a flat roof with plain cornice and parapet; renewed, moulded architrave to original 4-panel door, the upper 2 with modern glazing. Above the porch is an original sash window with distinctive diagonal glazing bars, projecting slate cill, and a simple returned label. Larger, similar windows flank the porch on ground and first floors.

On the S side is a 2-light tracery window with trefoil heads (of the type found at Gwydir Castle), of rendered oak; 6-pane glazing to each light. Above this, a 12-pane casement with near-flush returned label. 2-storey rubble service wing to the S, apparently contemporary. This has early C20 twenty-pane French doors with an original 16-pane casement above; small C19 eight-pane casement to the R, modern windows to rear. Beyond the service wing on the same (S) wall of the main block, 2 further tracery windows as before, one to each floor. The rear (W) face has a storeyed lean-to type porch extruded between the N and the longer S piles. This has a chamfered Tudor-arched entrance with modern boarded door. Partially overlapping this to the R, a modern single-storey kitchen extension. Large sash windows with diagonal glazing as before to the gable end of the N (shorter) pile. To the L and above that to the ground floor, at a height of 2.5m, are builders' graffiti, inscribed: `WD WH EW 1842,' presumably referring to the completion date.

Interior

Simple interiors with plain cornices, late Regency-type reeded slate fireplaces and panelled window reveals to the main ground-floor rooms. Simple single-flight stair with stick balusters, plain string and (painted) mahogany rail.

Reason for designation

A large and imposing Tudor-style mid-C19 rectory in a commanding position.