Dinorben Arms Hotel

Cadw's description

Location

Located along the W side of Queen Street, directly SW of the Church of St Eleth.

History

Late C18 or early C19 hotel, built c1800 to cater for the visitors to the rapidly expanding and developing town; the earlier listing description of 1951 suggests that it probably embodies some earlier fabric, which may be evident from an internal inspection. The population of Amlwch expanded hugely during the late C18, following the discovery of large, easily worked deposits of copper ore in 1768. By the 1801 census the population had grown to 5000. The hotel was originally called Ty Mawr and later re-named after William Lewis Hughes (1767-1852), created Baron Dinorben in 1831. The hotel was not named individually in either the Census Returns of 1841, or the Tithe Schedule of the following year; but a brewer was recorded in residence in the street, William Thomas, who lived with his son Robert, his wife and their 4 children.
Extended to the rear by the addition of double pile wing in mid C19 which had some modern windows and doors inserted in C20.

Exterior

Large late C18 or early C19 hotel. The main body of the hotel is a 2-storey with attics, double pile building with storeyed wing at L (S) end and double pile storeyed wing built parallel to rear. Rendered elevations, main part of the hotel stuccoed with ashlar scoring; stressed rusticated quoins and eared architraves on shaped corbels, rear wings have windows with hoodmoulds. Slate roof with rendered gable and axial stacks with shoulders and capping. The principal, entrance, elevation faces the street to the E and is a 5 window range with single window wing in line to L (S). Central entrance through a portico porch with coupled square pillars engraved with key-pattern; entableture now surmounted by railings, enclosing flat roof with model of lion rampant holding sceptre. Panelled double doors are flanked by narrow lights. Windows are 12-pane horned sashes. The rear elevation has 2 windows to the far L (N) end; horned sash windows with margin panes, attic windows in hipped half dormers.
The double pile wings to the rear of the hotel have entrance via a flat roofed modern porch in the NW angle. The N gable has horned sash windows with margin panes, ground floor with single paired casement to R (W). The rear (W) elevation is a 6-window range that has been modernised; ground floor with doorways to L (N) end and canted bays to R, that to far right full height, with other 1st floor windows modern casements.

Interior

Interior was not inspected at the time of the survey. The earlier listing description of 1951 includes a good staircase with turned balusters of about 1800.

Reason for designation

Listed as an extremely good late C18 or early C19 urban hotel retaining its original character. Historically significant as dating from an important period of economic growth of the town due to the industrial boom brought about by the mining at the nearby copper mines.