Plas Newydd Farmhouse

Cadw's description

Location

Located approximately 1.6km NW of the centre of Penrhyndeudraeth at the SW border of the community; set within a farmyard at the end of a long unmetalled track running NW from an unclassified road, itself running NW from the A 487.

History

Plas Newydd was established in the C!7 as the seat of a junior branch of the important Anwyl family of neighbouring Parc. The Anwyls were amongst the foremost families in North Wales during this period and furnished Merionedd with several MPs and High Sheriffs. Of these, Robert Anwyl, sheriff in 1658, is probably the Robert Anwyl of Plas Newydd whose initials appear on a (now ex situ) date plaque of 1677. Anne, the daughter of Owen and Catherine Anwyl of Plas Newydd served as Maid of Honour to Queen Caroline, consort of King George II.

The present farmhouse is one of four ranges which originally formed the unit-planned house. The rear range of three connecting domestic units, it formed a type of multi-purpose lodgings block, similar to that surviving at Parc. Each of its three floors was given independant external access (now removed), which suggests a series of separate suites of lodgings; in effect a block of flats. The datestone of 1677 relates to one of the lost ranges and although diagnostic evidence is largely lacking, this surviving block probably also belongs to the second half of the C17. Its interior arrangement was compromised c1900 with the insertion of internal stairs and new partitioning.

Exterior

2-and-a-half storey end-chimney building of rubble construction on boulder and rock foundations. Renewed slate roof with slab-coped gable parapets and shaped kneelers; tall chimneys with original moulded capping and weathercoursing. The entrance front faces N, away from the farmyard. This has 2 ground-floor entrances with boarded C20 doors, that to the L recessed, that to the R with 3-light modern casement beyond. Above the latter entrance on the first floor, a former, similar entrance, now a window as before. Large dormer entrance to attic floor with dormer window to R; both have coped, kneelered gables and the entrance has a late C19/early C20 boarded door reusing the original C17 decorative hinges. Both first and attic floor access stairs have been removed, those to the latter within recent years. Two windows to each floor on S side (rear), all modern casements, though in primary openings. Those to the attic floors are contained within gabled dormers as before. Adjoining to the L are the remains of a connecting range; these consist of the first section of adjoining wall, now reduced to a stepped buttress and a masonry mass beyond with evidence of an end fireplace and an associated stone corkscrew stair. Two blocked first-floor windows to the W gable, with C20 single-storey brick lean-to below.

Interior

Wide fireplace to the L ground-floor chamber with flat, stopped-chamfered bressummer. c1900 plain galleried staircase and 4-panel doors; ceiling beams mostly boxed, though one chamfered lateral beam has ogee-stops. 3-bay attic floor with one original pegged, oak, strutted truss, with fine chamferring.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as an unusually-planned C17 range of this formerly important house of the Anwyl family.