Entrance Archways, at Grand Lodge, Plas Newydd

Cadw's description

Location

The N entrance to Plas Newydd, 1.7km N of the house, leading off the S side of the A4080 Brynsiencyn Road.

History

Designed and built by Joseph Potter c1805, when many of smaller buildings on the Plas Newydd estate were built or re-modelled. Alternative designs by Potter exist in the RIBA Drawings Collection, showing larger and more elaborate structures with portcullis or iron gates. The Plas Newydd Estate was one of the largest estates on Anglesey, passing to the Bagenal family in 1553 and through marriage to the Bayly family in the C18. In 1812 the estate passed to Henry William, Lord Uxbridge's eldest son; Henry was created 1st Marquess of Anglesey in 1815, and his descendants inherited both estate and title. A number of improvements to the buildings of the estate followed the completion of the main house at Plas Newydd in the early C19.

Exterior

A symmetrical battlemented composition in limestone ashlar masonry, with a high 4-centred central archway flanked by smaller pedestrian archways, the whole flanked by octagonal turrets. Chamfered plinth, shallow buttresses to either side of main arch, moulded cornice and pointed copings to embattled parapet. Plain shield raised in stone above pedestrian arches.

Reason for designation

Listed as a prominent early C19 estate entrance archway in a Gothick composition, one of a number of buildings on the estate designed by Joseph Potter, and for group value with Grand Lodge.