Tan-lan

Cadw's description

Location

Set along the E side of Bull Street (A496) at the N end of the village of Maentwrog; opposite The Grapes Hotel.

History

Probably mid C19. Not marked on the tithe map of the parish, 1840, but built on part of Tir y Llan, owned by Louisa J Oakeley of Plas Tan-y-bwlch and occupied by Cadwaladr Evans. Its use of the Georgian tradition suggests a mid C19 date - the building's somewhat unusual form may be indicative of an unusual history: when it was offered up for sale in the auction of the Plas Tan-y-bwlch estate, 1910, in Lot 12 'The Picturesque Rural Village of Maentwrog', the property was described as Tanlan, split into 3 parts - residential quarters, reading room and cellar. The residential quarters and reading room were occupied by E Jones, for an annual rent of £9-0s-0d(£9.00) the cellar by Mr Thomas Roberts for £2-0s-0d(£2.00).

Exterior

Substantial house set into the hillside at the E side of the road; 4-storeys to front and 3-storeys to rear. A 3-window range built of mortared rubble masonry, R (S) gable rendered. Slate roof with rendered rectangular gable stacks with capping. The principal range faces the road to W and has a timber balcony across the width of the building at first floor level, on stone piers and accessed by a flight of external stone steps at the L (N) end with raking coping along the western wall. The main doorway is to the centre of the range and there is a further doorway to ground floor below. Windows are 16-pane horned sashes with slate sills, the gables have single first and second floor windows towards the rear of the range.

Interior

The interior was not inspected at the time of the survey (June/July 2003).

Reason for designation

Listed as a mid C19 estate-built house in the Georgian tradition, retaining good original character with some unusual features and historical interest as at one time incorporating a reading room. Forms a group with other buildings at the centre of the estate village of Maentwrog.