Plas Newydd

Location

Located at the northern boundary of the community, set back from the road within its own parkland setting; accessed via a drive running W from the road lodge.

History

Pocket country house built 1840-1 for Edward Humphrey Griffith, apparently to his own designs. A 2-storey extension was added to the rear c1901 during alterations carried out by William & Segar Owen.

Exterior

Compact early Victorian country house in competent Tudorbethan style. Of limestone construction with ashlar dressings; medium-pitched slate roofs and 2-stage chimneys with dentil courses. The house is irregular in plan and consists of a main, 3-bay, gabled section of two-and-a-half storeys, with a lower service range adjoining to the R (N), partly enclosing a narrow service court. Adjoining to the rear is a double-pile later block (c1901). The main elevation faces E and is (more or less) symmetrical; small-pane glazing throughout. This has a recessed central (entrance) bay with advanced flanking wings. The former has a central boarded and studded door, with stepped label over and flanking cross-windows. Projecting in front is a single-storey, 3-bay loggia, flush with the outer bays. This has Tudor-arched openings and a parapet above with central triangular pediment and squat obelisk finials. Above the entrance and loggia is a first-floor 3-light mullioned and transomed window with moulded and returned label; 2-light mullioned window to the attic floor, contained within a gabled dormer. The outer bays have coped and kneelered gables with pyramid finials and central stone balls; labelled cross-windows, with an additional, second-floor, 2-light window to the R gable. Adjoining the main block to the R, and set back slightly from it, is an L-shaped service wing with 3-light transmullioned windows to each floor of its main section. The advanced, gabled section to the R has a 2-light window with a 6-light window above. In the gable apex is a lozenge-shaped shield with (raised) initials 'E H G' and the date 1841. The 5-bay S elevation has cross-windows, with labels to those on the ground floor; those to bays 3 and 4 are contained within a shallow rectangular storeyed bay. These are taller (extending down to ground level) and have a returned stringcourse above. Gabled and stuccoed rear elevation with cross-windows as before.

The later wing is of 2 storeys and adjoins to the rear (W); construction as before, though with simplified detailing. The main (S) elevation of this block faces a small formal garden and has 4 tall cross windows in a rectangular projecting bay, with flanking French windows (that to the L blocked-up). The N side faces the main cobbled stableyard and has 12-pane sash windows arranged in 4 bays; simple flush lateral and end chimneys. Extruded in the angle between this and the primary block is a low storeyed service wing with two cambered-headed, 8-pane sliding sashes facing the narrow service court. Rubble walls adjoin this and enclose the court, standing to an approximate average height of 2.5m; cock-and-hen copings. Adjoining the later (1901) block to the R (W) is a single-storey mono-pitch boiler-house block.

Interior

The interior was not inspected at the time of survey.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a good example of an early Victorian pocket country house.

Group value with the coach house at Plas Newydd.