Plas Alltran

Cadw's description

Location

On acutely angled corner site between Turkey Shore Road and Llanfawr Road.

History

Doctor’s house and surgery built 1890-91 as part of a larger project to regenerate what was then called the Blackbridge area of Holyhead. Commissioned by Jane Henrietta Adeane (1842-1926), a noted local philanthropist, and designed by the architect Arthur Baker, who surveyed and repaired Plas Mawr, Conwy, prior to it being made open to the public. Possibly purpose built for Holyhead’s first GP, Dr William Fox Russell who lived there with his family until c.1900. Two of their sons born at Plas Alltran were decorated for bravery during WWI. Capt. John Fox Russell, RAMC, received the Military Cross and Victoria Cross (the latter posthumously) and his younger brother Lt. Henry Fox Russell, RFC, the Military Cross. From the early 1900s it had a variety of uses; rented housing, classrooms for a nearby girls’ training institute, district nurse accommodation, boarding house, but has been empty and disused since the early 1970s.

Exterior

Two storeys plus attics. Walls of squared local rubble with darker stone quoins and dressings, pale ashlar corbels, darker ashlar copings to crow-stepped gables. Slate gabled roofs with blue clay ridge tiles. Unusual, irregular plan and elevations, each facade with differently placed gable. All door and window openings covered over at time of inspection.

Towards Turkey Road Shore, large pinnacled crow-stepped gable with broad attic window. To L of this, bay set slightly forward with small stepped gable, (attic window) flanked by large polygonal chimneys corbelled out over lower floors. Four windows to first floor, three windows and doorway to ground floor. Facing road junction, polygonal corner elevation has pinnacled crow-stepped gable, broad attic window, square first floor window, and taller ground floor window; first and attic storeys corbelled out from splayed sides which have windows to first and ground floor; hipped roofs above splays. Towards Llanfawr Road, tall chimney stack and large pinnacled crow-stepped gable two windows wide with irregularly placed windows, doorway to L. Outshut to R (roof covering lost at time of inspection); above this, shouldered chimney stack corbelled out with mullioned window set below.

The house is linked by stone rubble walls to 1 & 2 Turkey Shore Road.

Interior

Built on three floors with a large room at the south-west end of the building on each level. Ground floor used originally as a surgery with the first and second floors providing accommodation for Dr Fox Russell and his family. In poor condition but retains many original features; door-frames, lathe & plaster partition walls, window seats, skirting boards, cornices, stair and landing balustrades. Large room on first floor has a decorated fire-place incorporating the Adeane family crest.

Reason for designation

A good example of a late Victorian, Jacobethan style building, possibly inspired by Plas Mawr, Conwy. Holyhead’s first purpose-built doctor’s surgery, reflecting the growth of the town in the 19th century. Group value with 1-3 Turkey Shore Rd, 1-2 Tan-Alltran cottages and stable block.