Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Betws Lodge
Abergele, Conwy, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Gwrych, Abergele, Conwy, designated on 5 August 1997.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
- Date of designation
- 5 August 1997
- Locality
- Gwrych
- Town
- Abergele
- Community
- Abergele
- Unitary authority
- Conwy
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.27515, -3.61266
- Cadw reference
- 18660
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 95 Rhyl (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Gwrych Castle park boundary wall rises steeply to 138m along the road to Rhyd-y-foel. Betws Lodge lies outside the wall line, approximately 100m short of the junction of the road to Rhyd-y-foel centre.
History
Gwrych Castle was created by Lloyd Bamford Hesketh in association with Thomas Rickman from 1816. The boundary wall, with its various lodges and gates probably followed the main building's completion in c1822, although works continued until c1850. Betws Lodge forms the dramatic entrance to woodland outside the park, which was probably a hunting and shooting reserve.
Exterior
A long front to the road, with a central chamfered 4-centred carriage arch set between twice offsetting buttresses, between which is an outset parapet on stone brackets, simulating machicolations, and is reduced in height at the centre. Outside the buttresses the parapet deepens dramatically, the outsetting brackets set low, and the wall extends to quasi-end towers, where the offsetting parapet returns to its former height. The intermediate section each side has sturdy raking buttresses at the mid point.
Reason for designation
Included as an important element in the total setting of the Grade I Gwrych Castle, and of special interest in the history of the picturesque movement.
Nearby in the register
- Gwrych Castle including attached walls and towers and Stable Block.Defenceunder 1 mi
- Nant FawrDomesticunder 1 mi
- Castell Cawr HillfortHillfortunder 1 mi
- Nant-y-Bella LodgeDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.