Dolaugwyn

Cadw's description

Location

The farm is on flat land of the lower Afon Fathew valley, to the W of Bryn Crug village. The farmhouse stands apart to the W of the farm buildings.

History

The house was built a little before 1620 by Lewis and Anne Gwynne according to a document of 30.4.1620, - 'new house of Lewis Gwynne in the p'sh of Towyn called Dole Gwyn'. This date is confirmed by the initials and date LGAG 1620 in the kitchen and 1620 with a strapwork shield and mistletoe tendrils in the principal bedroom. The house was extended by the addition of a drawing room and a larger stair tower in 1656 by Griffith and A... Nanney, a date confirmed by a further shield with intials GNAN 1656 placed above the fireplace in the drawing room. The building has been further restored in the early C20 when many windows were restored to the original pattern.

The early C17 core of the building consists of a rectangular range placed NE-SW, with the main front facing NW, having a 3-storey porch with a stepped gable giving access to the original living hall in the SW end of the house, and a part-external lateral stack at the rear. The drawing room is added on the NW side and the square stair tower to the NE gable end. Later single storey extensions on the S side.

Exterior

The house is built of face dressed stone with slate roofs and stepped gables to both the original build and to the mid C17 additions. The entrance in the porch tower has a segmental voussoired arch with a decorative small arris rebate, above which, set in a recess formed by refacing, a shield with elementary strapwork bearing a blue lion rampant. Above, a 4-light mullioned and transomed ovolo-moulded window lights the first floor chamber. Above there is a second datestone reading AC 1820. The second floor of the porch tower is slightly jettied at the front on a continuous shallow ovolo corbel course. This has a 3-light mullioned window in the stepped gable. Two windows on the W of the porch, one blocked, with stone triangular-sectioned canopies on corbel brackets. The main range of the house has similar 4-light mullioned and transomed windows, with stone lintels and similar stone canopies. To the right of the porch, the attic floor has a 3-light window in a raised stepped gable. The SW gable end has 4-light similar windows to the ground and first floors, but two 2-light ovolo-moulded windows to the attic floor. The gable stack has been rebuilt. The rear elevation of the earlier section has a 3-storey stepped-gabled tower opposite the entrance, probably the original stair, and the original windows to the ground and first floor replaced by paned timber windows. External stack to the main hall.

The mid C17 additions include the square drawing room block, with 4-light windows matching the earlier design and a stepped gable facing NW, and an external stack on its E wall. Also added at this time the larger square stair tower with an asymmetrical stepped gable, its windows later altered to timber sash windows. Later additions include a rounded structure linking the early stair with the service end, and a single-storey service wing on the S side, further extended by a single bay lower structure with twin gable stacks.

Interior

The interior, not accessible at the date of inspection, is recorded as having a later passageway from the hall to the gable stair with access to the drawing room and kitchen. Good C17 open-well stair. The C17 dated decorative and heraldic figures are understood to still be in position.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade II* as a rare survival of a largely complete C17 gentry house where the character has been enhanced by judicious restoration, and one which has both precise dating and where the increasing requirements of the gentry of the period is demonstrated by the handsome additions.