Mausoleum

Cadw's description

Location

Surrounded by trees on a knoll within the parkland approximately 1km south-east of the house and 0.5km south-east of Fort Williamsburg.

History

Begun by the 2nd Lord Newborough in 1826 but unfinished when he died in 1832. The 3rd Lord Newborough continued the work until the major fire of 1836 after which time attention was diverted to the house and completion of the mausoleum was abandoned having cost £10,000. It has therefore never been used for its intended purpose.

Glynllifon was the seat of the Wynn family and Sir Thomas John Wynn became the 1st Lord Newborough in 1776. The house was rebuilt after a fire 1836-48 by Edward Haycock, architect of Shrewsbury.

Exterior

Circular tower built of coursed local rubble, slightly battered to base and then narrowed above ground floor cornice. There are three dressed stone, segmental arched, windows to the top and a dressed stone 4-centred arched gateway to the south.

Interior

Brick-vaulted central lobby with winding stone staircase to left and round-headed arch into flat-roofed perimeter passage to right leading to a cruciform ground floor chamber. The original intention had been to have a 2nd floor chapel, now a plain octagonal chamber with groined vault.

Reason for designation

Listed as a C19 folly with origins as a rare example of an estate mausoleum and for its special interest to the history of Glynllifon.