Peithyll

Cadw's description

Location

Situated down drive running N from road leading E from the crossroads in Capel Dewi.

History

The site is an ancient one: a small Norman fort here was captured by Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr in 1116 and is marked on the C14 Rees map.
House built in 1844 for John Pugh Vaughan Pryse (1818-1903), son of Pryse Pryse of Gogerddan. In a letter of 26/9/1844 Pryse says that he expects the house to be finished, ready for the painters in about 3 weeks time. In 1849-50 Pryse built a new house at Bwlchbychan, Llanwenog, and Peithyll was taken over by his older brother Col. Edward Lewis Pryse (1817-88). Col. Pryse was MP 1857-68 and Lord Lieutenant.
Buildings not to same plan are marked on the 1845 Tithe map, presumably mapped before 1844. Then owned by Pryse Pryse, occupied by J.P. Pryse. Peithyll was noted in 1875 for its 'modern farm buildings, adapted for an improved system of agriculture and rearing of stock'. The outbuildings have been altered.
Owned 2004 by the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, leased as offices.

Exterior

House, late Georgian style, symmetrical, in roughcast rubble stone with slate deep-eaved roof and two large stone end chimneys with slate cornices. Brackets to eaves. Two-storey, three-window range of hornless 12-pane sashes , the ground floor ones full-length. Slate sills. Six-panel centre door with 4 fielded panels and two glazed panels. Overlight. Roman Doric timber porch of two columns, pilaster responds, and modillion cornice broken forward over columns. Slate-hung left end with deep verges to gable and 12-pane window each floor to left, renewed in uPVC. Roughcast right end with 12-pane sash to ground floor right and C20 small-paned window above. C20 added two-storey rear wing.

Interior

Entrance hall with principal room each side and stair at back. Good quality original detail including cornices to entrance hall and room each side. Six-panel doors. Panelled shutters. Hall cornice with acanthus brackets and rosettes between. Ceiling in 3 panels with moulded borders and acanthus rose in centre panel. Panelled door reveals. Elliptical moulded hall arch on panelled pilasters. Narrow winding stair with continuous rail, scrolled at foot, square balusters each with 2 small mouldings around, and open treads. Ground floor right room has egg-and-dart cornice and scroll border. Pair of panelled alcoves. Right hand room has cornice and border with rosettes.

Reason for designation

Included as a smaller gentry house in late Georgian style, with good surviving interior features.