Plas Iolyn

Cadw's description

Location

The farm lies in the S part of the community, and is reached by a farm road running S from Rhydlydan.

History

Plas Iolyn is a major homestead of the district, the senior of three; the others being Gilar and Voelas. The early date may be inferred from the tower now attached to a barn, whilst the house is associated with the Price (ap Rhys) family from the time of Sir Rhys fawr ap Maredudd o Hiraethog, who led the men of central Wales to Bosworth Field in 1485, carrying the banner of Henry Tudor, who, as Henry VII, rewarded Sir Rhys with a gift of lands here. His son, Robert ap Rhys lived at Foelas, the 3rd son, Sir Robert Rhys, was chaplain to Cardinal Wolsey acquired monastic lands, and built at Plas Iolyn "a house fit for a duke, so high that its roof could be seen from Dublin". The 5th son, the most remembered in history, Dr Elis Pryce, 'Doctor Coch', agent of Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was notorious for his oppression of the district. He was high sheriff of Denbighshire in 1550, 1557, 1569, and 1573, the year after he is recorded as having rebuilt the house whose "walls were as good as the White Tower of London, his cellars holding a shipload of wine, the windows equal to those of Naples, the court like a street in Venice, and a hall like the palace at St David's". Here he maintained a splendid hospitality celebrated in poems still extant. After his death in 1594 his son, Capt Tomos Price (1550-1610) became a distinguished poet, satirist and patron of literature in Wales, as well as one of the first men in England to have smoked tobacco. He was closely associated with the Myddleton family of Chirk, and in 1748 Richard Myddleton the then occupant of Plas Iolyn paid John Richards £3 for demolition, perhaps the shortening of the kitchen wing, following a major fire, but is recorded still living there in 1767. The house remained in the Price family until the 1920s.

Exterior

The house is built of local stone rubble, with slate roofs. Two storeys, the early range consists of a 'T'-plan range built on heavy boulder foundations, with the entrance in a lean-to porch in the SE re-entrant angle. To this is added on the W a narrower 2-storey 2-bay wing, its porch dated 1908 in the NW re-entrant angle. The openings in the earlier section were largely remodelled in c1908, most having heavy stone lintels and timber paned casement windows. The S arm of the original T is whitewashed, and has indications of an early entrance doorway, and the roof is carried on 3 tiers of purlins. C19 or early C20 blue brick stacks. Sixteen-paned and other windows to the later part.

Interior

Not accessible at the time of inspection.

Reason for designation

Included as a building incorporating some elements of the major sub-mediaeval house of the district, with interesting historical associations, and of group value with important associated farm buildings.