Avilion

Cadw's description

Location

In a elevated position set back from the SE side of Ravenspoint Road, overlooking Porth Diana and c800m SW of the Church of St. Ffraid.

History

Early C20, designed by Richard Hall, architect, of Bangor and one of a series of houses in an Arts and Crafts architectural idiom built on the shores of Porth Diana as the area developed a a resort in the early years of the century. The first sale document dates to 17th March 1914 and is between the Right Honorable Edward Lyulph Baron Sheffield and Lady Amy Susan Ree. Bought by Sir Hugh Corbet Vincent, Solicitor from Bangor, and his wife, Lady Bronwen Adelaide, of Bronwydd; who were resident in 1919 and sold the property in 1937. The house was known as the 'Vincent' house and also 'Tre Gib'.

Exterior

A striking example of an Arts and Crafts house, reminiscent of a French Chateau; 2-storeyed with attics, built of rubble masonry, rendered; roof of small green slates with broadly projecting eaves with exposed rafter ends, hipped gable dormers and tall rectangular rendered stacks with projecting corbelled caps to either end of main part. Rectangular in plan with the main elevation overlooking the bay; seperate service wing to the left end. Main part is strongly symmetrical with a hipped roof which sweeps down over a central glazed verandah, flanked by advanced circular bays as turrets, each with a conical roof with corbelled eaves and tall leaded finials surmounted by balls. Windows are slightly recessed 8-pane casements ( UPVC replicas of the original form ) ; hipped gable dormers above the verandah: 2 first floor dormers of 3-lights and a central, single light, attic dormer. The right gable return has 2 x 9-pane circular windows to the ground floor. The entrance is to the rear, central to the main part with a round-headed arched stone porch to a round-headed panelled door with a single 'bullseye' light. The rear elevation has scattered fenestration of mixed lights; a tall 6-light dormer window of 8-pane casements above the porch and 2 and 3-light dormers either side. Left of the porch is a canted oriel window of 4-lights, with 2 x 2-light windows to the right. Service wing with a single 2-light window to the left and square-headed doorway to the right.

Interior

Entrance leads into an axial hallway with a dog-leg staircase right of the doorway with a moulded rail on shaped pierced splats interspersed with diagonally set stick balusters. To the left is the main sitting room which runs from front to back with the dining room set at right angles to the rear; both contain contemporary fireplaces, the sitting room with a stone surround having a depressed 4-centred arch with floriate carving in the spandrels and a chamfered surround with moulded mantel; the dining room with an ornate carved mantel and brick chevron design insert. Two sets of French windows lead into the verandah. Upper storey rooms still contain small cast iron fireplaces with garland decoration. Service wing modernised but contains original slate shelving in the pantry.

Reason for designation

Listed as a striking example of Arts and Crafts architecture, notable for its compact planning and the bold forms of roof and towers; it retains much of its original character both in exterior details and internal fittings. A particularly fine and well-preserved example of the architectual idiom characteristic of the development of Trearddur Bay as a resort in the early C20.