Old Rectory, Hirnant

Cadw's description

Location

At the rear of the church of St Illog, in the hamlet of Hirnant.

History

A rectory built in 1749, by the rector of Hirnant, Robert Lloyd; an early example of Gothick domestic architecture on a small scale. The house was re-roofed in 1819.

Exterior

A two-storey rectory with a two-window front elevation facing south to the churchyard, but entered by a porch at the west side. Full-height rear wing, single storey service wing to east. The house is in roughly axe-dressed slate, the front rendered (with stucco rustication) and the west side slate-hung; the stonework and the rendered face are painted cream. Low-pitched hipped slate roof with moderate eaves projection. Stone chimney at the front apex; another laterally at east of rear wing; another, perhaps truncated, at the gable end of the service wing.

The front elevation has two flat-roofed bay windows, with canted sides; each with horned sashes to front and sides. The front sashes of the left bay are divided by single glazing bars; the sashes of the front and sides of the right bay are subdivided into small panes with simple Gothic tracery partly in metal. At first storey there are two four-pane horned sash windows with stone sills. Between these windows is an inverted-T recess in the stonework, perhaps a ''giant Gothicizing arrow slit'' (Haslam) or a sundial location.

Interior

The house is planned with an east-west rear corridor from the main door leading to the two reception rooms at the south; to its north sides are stairs and the former rector's study at mezzanine level. At the east end is the service wing, also separately entered from the front. C19 iron fireplaces in reception rooms, with decorative tiling.

Reason for designation

A well-preserved early example of a minor Gothick parsonage.