Garden house at Min y Twr

Cadw's description

Location

Within the private grounds of Min y Twr, in an elevated location above the NW side of the A545 Beaumaris Road out of Menai Bridge.

History

Early C19, probably contemporary with the rebuilding of Craig-y-Don. The garden house, and the adjacent tower and walls were built within the grounds of Craig-y-Don, recorded in the Tithe Apportionment of the parish, 1845, as owned and occupied by Thomas Peers Williams Esq.

Exterior

Single storey garden house, built of local rubble masonry, roughly coursed and with massive stones as quoins; flat roof of massive sheets of slate behind a shallow parapet somewhat offset above coved pseudo machicolations. The plan of the building is irregular, the entrance in a rectangular block to NE, a single window to L and another in an advanced rectangular bay to R; at SW end the building curves round to form a circular viewing room, with windows overlooking the Menai Straits. The doorway is round headed, and the windows are narrow pointed lights with slate sills.

Interior

The walls are rendered with ashlar scoring, now in somewhat ruinous state. Tiled floor with single step up to circular viewing room. There is a small rectangular hearth within a fireplace at the NE end, with flanking tiled alcoves.

Reason for designation

Listed as a well-preserved early C18 garden house in a Gothic style which matches several other buildings along the Anglesey coast between Cadnant and Beaumaris; an integral component part of planned gardens within the grounds of an extensive estate.