Fern Bank and former Coach House

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the road between No 9 and Epworth Lodge.

History

House, built in 1873 and designed by J. R. Gummow for Mr. Ezekiel Mason.

Exterior

Brick with stuccoed dressings and slate roof. Described by Gummow as an Anglo-Italian cottage. 2 storeys, L-plan with entrance in side elevation of advanced left-hand wing. Advanced gabled entrance porch with pilasters with stiff-leaf capitals carrying cornice and entablature. Sill band to upper storey, which has round arched window with cast-iron balconette, and steeply arched hood mould. Expressed stack in right hand range, and sash window on each floor to left. Modillion cornice to oversailing eaves returns to form open pediment of gabled return facing the street: canted stone bay window with French doors and beaded frieze to cornice, round-arched sash window with steeply arched hood mould which continues as string course, above. Cast iron balconette and 2 plain sill bands which continue across recessed right hand range. Right hand range has French doors to ground floor, and 2 12-pane sash windows above, both with balconettes. Side and end wall stacks, with moulded brackets to projecting caps. Adjoining the house to the rear is the former coach house: square in plan, a low 2-storeys with hipped roof. Segmentally arched entrance (with similar entrance in flat roofed range to right), and round window above. Roof overhangs on moulded brackets, and is surmounted by a weather vane.

Reason for designation

Part of an important group of late C19 villas which together form an interesting example of urban estate development. A good example of the work of the Wrexham architect J. R. Gummow.