Cwm Alis

Cadw's description

Location

Situated to S of main road midway between Llangollen and Froncysyllte and near bend of original Telford road. House is set back from road and approached by driveways at W and E ends.

History

Late C18 house, built in 1771 and later extended westwards. The road just N of house was rebuilt c1825 by Thomas Telford as part of improvements of the 'Holyhead Road' between Llangollen and Chirk and involved extensive retaining walls in vicinity of house. The c1830 W extension to the house (roughly doubling the original area) appears to have been part of redevelopment scheme following construction of the road; a new coach-house was built at about the same time partly on one of the road's retaining walls.

Exterior

Plain rendered walls; slate roof with clay ridge tiles, hipped at W and E ends; three rendered chimney-stacks. Narrow two-storey, two-window range entrance front at W end. Deeply recessed entrance doorway with plain pilasters, overpanel and small hood; half-glazed door. 20-pane double casement ground floor window with triangular tracery; 12-pane sash windows with triangular tracery to upper floor. Very long, two-storey N elevation with junction between original (rear) and extension concealed by render. Later glazed conservatory added on N side obscures original entrance. Date stone inscribed '1771'. All windows on N side of original house renewed later with small-pane metal casements. 36-pane casement ground floor window with triangular tracery to N side of extension. Three wrought-iron windows with 'Gothick' tracery to different patterns on S side of extension. Reset (?) wrought-iron first-floor window with 'Gothick' tracery at E end of original house.

Interior

Originally appears to have been double-pile house, square on plan with entrance lobby in front of central stairs. Stairs subsequently removed and roof valley filled in. Modern entrance, via conservatory, to kitchen with plastered ceiling-beam and wide fireplace with curved timber bressumer and living room with fireplace with timber lintel. Early C19 extension includes library with tall, casement windows and folding shutters, sitting room with ribbed plaster coving to ceiling, 20-pane casement window with folding shutters and round-headed alcove recesses on either side of fireplace, dining room with wrought-iron 'Gothick' pointed window, and Hall with decorative wrought-iron 'Gothick' window and elegant straight stairs with plain square-section balusters. On first floor in original part of house bedroom and bathroom with wood-boarded doors with plain L-hinges.

Reason for designation

A substantial C18 and early C19 house with well-preserved Regency character.