Twr Gwynllan

Cadw's description

Location

The tower stands on the top of a hill 200m S of Old Brynkir Hall, in a plantation of trees, and can be reached from Brynkir Home Farm by a winding private farm road.

History

Brynkir was named after James Brynker, who owned the estate in 1719, and who escaped to France to avoid imprisonment for debt in 1731. The large Hall built by Sir Joseph Huddert, scientist, inventor and president of the Royal Society in 1821, is now a ruin, the home farm and the Twr Gwynllan however survive. The lower three floors of the tower were erected in the Gothick style as a park ornament by Sir Joseph Huddart in 1821, to be visible from his new house, Brynkir Hall, and was extended upwards in 1853, probably to the original design. It is locally said that it provided a study for each of Huddart's six sons. Carefully restored in 1994-5.

Exterior

The lower part of the building is carried out in a red coloured ashlar sandstone, the upper floors in a greyer version of the stone. It is square in plan with chamfered corners, and set on a square podium, approached on the N side by 5 splayed steps opposite a 2-centred arched entrance, with diagonally battened doors and elaborate iron hinges. The floors are divided by strongly articulated square string courses. On all floors, similar arched Gothick 3-light windows formed in timber, developing curvilinear uncusped tracery. No hood mouldings. The short corner angles have a variety of blind arrow-loops on each floor, and rise to a recess panelled merlon higher than the crenellated parapet of the walls.

Interior

Converted to holiday let accommodation and decorated by Mrs F Williams in 1996.

Reason for designation

Included as a very fine example of a park folly tower of the early C19.