Plas-gwyn

Cadw's description

Location

Plas-gwyn lies off the main Pwllheli to Caernarfon road, approximately 700m S of Y Ffor crossroads.

History

The building appears to date from c1600 and was altered in the C17 by raising the walls to form a full upper floor, and building the gables. A rear wing added later perhaps as a dairy, now a kitchen, has a lean-to on the SW side.

Exterior

Built of rubble with buttered joints and large boulder quoins. Slate roof between raised 7-stepped gables on square kneelers and tall square gable stacks. Two storeys, 3 bays, comprising a main living/dining room at the SW end, and a parlour at the NE end beyond a cross passage containing a later stair. Six panelled door and 16-pane unaligned sash windows, including 3 on the upper floor at the front, but a 3-light paned window to the left of the entrance. The rear wing containing the kitchen is pebble-dashed and has sliding sash windows. A stone corbel of unknown purpose appears between two upper windows.

Interior

The main living room has two heavy chamfered and stopped cross beams, and a large wide fireplace in the SW gable, partially filled in the early C19, with a modern tiled fireplace. To its left, a studded door with original C17 ironmongery opens to a stone spiral stair to the first floor. The room has a later longitudinal partition forming closets flanking its rear entrance. Cross passage from the front door, the rear arch-headed opening blocked when the later stair was inserted. RCHM reports the roof is carried on tapered principal rafters with cambered collars, having moulded stops, and joists with shallow mouldings on the soffits (not seen).

Reason for designation

Included at II* as a very well preserved sub-medieval type of dwelling retaining its original cross passage, fine stair, and with good external detail including the distinctive and characteristic stepped gables.