Towered Gatehouse to Broom Hall

Cadw's description

Location

The building stands between the stable yard and Broom Hall.

History

Built in 1830 for Rowland Jones II of Broom Hall as an imposing gateway entrance to the Hall, which had been standing for some 50 years.

Exterior

The gateway is conceived in the form of a triumphal arch of which the central section is raised as a tower. Built of rubble stonework, but ashlar gritstone facings to the lowest storey. A central round-headed carriageway with flanking 'pedestrian' arches, the E containing the stair to the upper floors. The central arch has finely jointed voussoirs, the skew-backs stepped and coursed in, and a central keystone, and similar arches to the side openings. Above the central arch a faint inscription reads R JONES Esqr / 1830, set immediately below the horizontal string course. The first floor is of equal width for part of its height, and has a pair of round-headed windows with 18-pane sashes and coloured glass set in lead decorative fanlights. Above the string the tower narrows to a square plan, the second stage having a similar pair of windows. Above a further string the tower offsets to the third and top stage, which has a clock face and two round-headed louvred openings to the upper bell stage. The tower is capped by a pyramidal slated roof and carries a central weather vane on a scrolled iron support. The N elevation is identical, but the side openings have retained their bead-panelled doors and glazed fanlights.

Interior

The first floor contains a square room with a carved slate fireplace, a moulded cornice and a ceiling rose. From here a stair with plain stick balusters rises to the 2nd floor, without embellishments, and from where a further stair rises to the third floor. This is matchboard lined and has the clock mechanism in a central box (part removed for safe keeping). A further identical stair leads to the bell chamber, the bells also removed. King-post and single tie beam roof.

Reason for designation

Included as an interesting and unusual gatehouse with clock tower, part of the important setting of Broom Hall.