Gatehouse at Gilar, with attached courtyard walls

Cadw's description

Location

Gilar lies to the S of Rhydlydan, approached by a farm road. The gatehouse is on the N side of the front walled court, with an axial path leading directly to the porch of the E house.

History

Built in 1623, the date appearing on the overmantel on the upper floor, for Thomas Price Wynn, the year before his appointment to the post of High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1624.

Exterior

Built of local rubble stone, freestone dressings to windows. Gabled slate roofs, the E gable with a stone stack. Two-storey square gatehouse on a small scale, comprising an external gate and passage on the ground level, and an upper guard chamber approached by an external stair on the E. The external gate is set in a round headed arch, secured by a timber plank screen on the inside with a elliptical headed wicket gate, retaining its original iron furniture. Gate and screen liberally studded with doornails. Above is a stone bearing the inscription TPW / 1623. The inner arch is unmoulded and round headed. The upper chamber is lit by 3-light mullioned windows each side, ovolo-moulded externally, chamfered internally. The copings of the gables have been removed, but kneelers remain. Rainwater pipes in aluminium carry the date 1623.

The courtyard walls butt to the front of the gatehouse on each side. They are dry-stone built, approximately 2m high and form a formal rectangle on the N side of the house, incorporating the rear wall of an outbuilding on the W, and step back at lower level to a further outbuilding on the E. There is one possible bee bole on the W side. A cobble path leads directly from the gatehouse to the door of the E house, and incorporates initials TPW and HWD in quartzite.

Interior

Eleven steps with stone parapet on the E of the gate leads up to the door to the upper guard chamber beside the chimney breast. This is plastered and ceiled and has a fine plaster overmantel, though restored or copied, displaying the raised arms of Thomas Price Wynn within a strapwork cartouche, and the initials and date TP W / 16 23. Below is the inscription MDCXXIIIVMMEVMINDOMINO. The rose charge on the shield has been renewed.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* as an outstanding example of a small gatehouse in its courtyard setting erected by an aspiring landowner in the earlier C17, and including the original outer gate and good plasterwork internally. Of group value with the house.