Trefan

Cadw's description

Location

Trefan lies along a driveway leading N off the road running E from the bridge in Llanystumdwy, and situated on the scarp overlooking the Afon Dwyfor.

History

The estate at Trefan was brought into being by John Wynn, a man of the Earl of Pembroke in c1537. In the C17 it was held by the Owens family. The house was built by Zaccheus Hughes in the 1770s who inherited the estate from his elder brother Owen, who died without issue aged 25 in 1756. The N wing is perhaps part of an earlier house on the site, and the fine E block was raised by a second floor probably in the early C19 by the Priestley family, who moved into the house after 1811 and enlarged it. In 1846 it was inherited by Samuel Priestley, who became High Sheriff of the county in 1849. It is one of a number of such Late-Georgian-Regency style houses erected in the area, along with Trallwyn Hall, Broom Hall, and Plas Bodegroes, perhaps under the influence of the architect Joseph Bromfield.

Exterior

The house consists of a imposing main block of 3 storeys, 5 window bays, facing E, a 2-storey rear wing facing the gardens to the S, and a 1-storey and loft N range extending N from the rear wing, which is probably part of an earlier house on the site. The main frontage is rendered, with a slate roof and deep boxed eaves and two asymmetrically placed stacks. The entrance is a round-headed partly glazed pair of doors set under a wide open pedimented porch on Tuscan columns. The doors have a fanlight over, with intersecting Gothic glazing bars. Sash windows to all three floors, 15-pane to the ground floor, 12-pane above, and 9-pane to the second floor. An added canted single-storey bay window with a parapetted flat roof on the S gable end faces the garden. The rear wing is of 3 bays, the two storeys rising to 3 as the ground drops to the W. Central door to the garden. The N wing has been partially rebuilt after an earthquake in the 1970s.

Interior

Not seen at the time of inspection. Said in previous descriptions and by RCAHMW to have a columned hall, and stair hall with an open-string stair and a continuous handrail, a roof lantern over. Some marble fireplaces.

Reason for designation

Included as a very good example of a late Georgian country house.