Northern Towers

Cadw's description

Location

Located immediately behind Tan-yr-Ogof Lodge, approximately 800m E of the junction between the main road and Rhyd-y-Foel Road.

History

Castellated gate lodge conceived as one of a series to serve Gwrych Castle. Begun for Lloyd Bamford Hesketh c1819, Gwrych Castle ranks as one of the most important castellated houses of the Picturesque in Britain. The castle and its associated lodges and park walls were designed collaboratively by the client and Thomas Rickman, the architect and architectural theorist. A castellated scheme was prepared by the architect C A Busby as early as 1814, though this was abandoned by the owner in favour of his own designs. Rickman was consulted from 1816 onwards, producing a full scheme in 1817. The foundation stone was finally laid 1819. Cast iron Perpendicular-style windows from John Cragg's Mersey Iron Foundry (where Rickman had collaborated on his iron churches at Liverpool), were incorporated in the scheme. Hesketh was still producing designs as late as the 1850s, though the main work at the castle was complete by 1822; it is likely, therefore, that the main lodges also belong to this primary phase and were included in the original overall conception. It is probable, however that many of the lesser turrets and bastions were still being added well into the second half of the C19. Northern Towers, situated as it is behind the main Tan-yr-Ogof gateway, is likely to be of an intermediate, mid C19 date; the western tower has been enlarged early on. The building has suffered modernisation within the last thirty years.

Exterior

Entrance gate with tall, flanking square towers, with crenellated and corbelled battlements. Of limestone rubble with limestone dressings. Tall Tudor-arched entrance with corbelled storey above. This has 6 tall modern windows with plain glazing and a modern shingle-hung rear. The towers have modern glazing to Tudor-arched upper windows facing the front (N). That to the R (W) has been extended westwards in the later C19 and has two Rickman windows to the rear. Adjoining to the front are short stretches of link wall terminating in turrets with corbelled upper sections.

Interior

The interior was not inspected at the time of survey (5/97).

Reason for designation

Included for group value with other listed items at Tan-yr-Ogof as part of the nationally important Picturesque composition of Gwyrch Castle.