Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Gatepiers and associated Forecourt Walls at Plas-yn-Llan
Efenechtyd, Denbighshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 19 July 1966
- Locality
- Efenechtyd
- Community
- Efenechtyd
- Unitary authority
- Denbighshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.09090, -3.32865
- Cadw reference
- 732
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Cadw's description
Location
Enclosing a forecourt in front of Plas-yn-Llan and facing the main village street to the W.
History
Early C18 gatepiers and forecourt walls, probably built by Jacob Conway (1653-1718), to serve the new Plas-yn-Llan. Conway was a junior member of the Bodrhyddan family and their crest of a blackamoor's bust appears on each of the gatepiers. The new house was probably inspired by the rebuilding work at Bodrhyddan itself, carried out by Sir John Conway, Bart. in the 1690s (dated 1696 and 1700). It is significant that similar gatepiers with surmounting blackamoor busts also appear at Bodrhyddan, and belong to the same phase.
Exterior
Tall, square gatepiers with adjoining rubble forecourt walls. The piers are approximately 2.5m high (including bust finials) and are of tooled sandstone. They have fielded panels to each face with moulded bases and coved cornices. Each is surmounted by a fine contemporary sandstone bust depicting a blackamoor's head, the crest of the Conway family; both have (renewed) polychromy. Modern decorative iron half-gates; the attachments for the former (wooden) gates remain.
The flanking sections of wall are near-contemporary, though since they are built up against the panelled faces of the piers, one must presume that the piers were originally conceived as free-standing or in conjunction with fencing/hedging. The walls are of rubble, rise to a maximum height of 1.2m and extend to either side of the piers in 5m sections. The L section (S) retains shallow-moulded sandstone copings, of early C18 nature, though apparently reset. The R section (N) retains a small section of similar copings. The walls return towards the house on both sides to enclose a square forecourt; at the SW corner is a modern gate, at the SE is an opening.
Reason for designation
Listed Grade II* as an important and unusual pair of heraldic early C18 gatepiers with associated forecourt walls.
Group value with Plas-yn-Llan.
Nearby in the register
- Primary House at Plas-yn-LlanAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
- Plas-yn-LlanDomesticunder 1 mi
- Agricultural Range to the W of Plas-yn-LlanAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
- Lychgate at the Parish Church of St Michael and All AngelsReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.