Plas-du

Cadw's description

Location

The farm lies to the S of the village of Pencaenewydd, SW of the former turnpike road to Porthdinllaen.

History

The house is well known as the centre of the Old Faith in Lleyn from the time of Thomas Owen, who was High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire in 1569, and who sheltered missionary priests in 1571-8. He was charged with recusancy and imprisoned for his activities in 1578 leading to a collapse of the old faith in the district. John Owen, his son, was a Latin scholar, a second son Hugh, 1538-1618, was involved in the Ridolfi Plot, and fled from here to Spain, whilst a third son became a Canon of Mantes. The property was held by Sir Thomas Middleton in 1619 to 1626, who befriended Hugh Owen, the 'epigrammatist', translator of Thomas a Kempis into Welsh, and secretary to Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert of Raglan. Later the estate was purchased by Charles Jones and became attached to the Rhiwlas estate in 1866. The house was much altered and extended to north and west in early or mid C19.

Exterior

Built of local rubble stone with flushed joints and a slate roof. A substantial house of 2 storeys and attics, thick walls with large irregular quoins. The main block is of 3 bays with an off-centre monolithic arch-headed entrance with a boarded door. 4-paned sash windows to the ground floor, 6-paned to the first floor. Stone eaves and tall gable end stacks. A small window at the end lights a fire stair. At the SW end, a lean-to incorporating a cartshed. At the rear, sliding casement windows and a large lean-to set in the re-entrant angle.

Interior

The interior was not seen at the time of inspection. The RCAHM shows the plan to have a central wide stair hall, and living rooms each side; service rooms divided off at the back. Early timber collar beam roof cusped above the collar, and and raking struts, and some original panelling on the lower floors. Circular stair in front of the large stack on the E gable with very small ventilation lights on the front and end gable.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* as a well preserved substantial sub-medieval gentry house with important historical associations with the recusant Owen family, and apparently retaining good internal detail.