Arvon and adjoining outbuildings to the north

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in a prominent position at the junction of Heol Buddog and Ffordd-y-Sir with gardens in front and the similarly detailed Bod Owen alongside, the highly patterned slate roofs of Arvon and its outbuildings form a distinctive local land-mark.

History

Built as offices for the former Riley Slate Quarry in early C20. The Riley Slate Company leased a number of smaller quarries in Nantlle and the Rhose quarry near Capel Curig. The remarkable highly decorative slate roofs were no doubt intended to display the quality and variety of slates the Company's quarry had on offer and to give an indication of the way in which they could be employed to best effect. It was converted to domestic use later in C20.

Exterior

Rendered walls under highly decorated half-hipped slate roof with red ceramic ridge tiles and grey, green and purple slates forming diaper patterning; 2 small rendered ridge stacks. Single storey; simple rectangular plan. Central entrance with glazed door flanked by canted bay windows, all with applied late C20 false leading. Applied timber framing to end walls. The outbuildings, which are also rendered, lower and set back to the rear, have very similar roofs to the main building, save that they are gabled and the higher of the 2 has curved ornamental cresting to the end ridge tiles; early C20 timber casements and boarded doors are probably original.

Interior

Interior not inspected at time of Survey.

Reason for designation

Forming a group with Bod Owen, which also retains its original form as Company office building, the buildings are an important relic of the slate industry in the town, notable for their virtuoso exploitation of the decorative properties of the material.