Former coach house and stable range at Plas Tan-y-bwlch

Cadw's description

Location

In an elevated location, set within private grounds above the NW side of the A487(T) on the W approach to the village of Maentwrog. The stables and cartshed range is to E of the main house at Plas Tan-y-bwlch.

History

William Oakeley came to the estate in 1789 and is thought to have moved the stables to their present position, and built or enlarged the long terrace to the front of the house (though these may have been built or completed after his death).
William's son - William Gruffyd Oakeley (1790-1835) was only 21 when he inherited the Plas Tan-y-bwlch estate and set about an ambitious programme of improving the estate properties, he set about building new buildings in the village of Maentwrog and rebuilding or improving the existing buildings. In order to do so he opened a quarry near Gelli Grin from which was quarried the large lengths of brown stone present in so many of the village buildings. This range may have been built or refaced at this time or during the later phase of expansion of the estate under William Edward Oakeley in the late C19.

Exterior

Lofted stable and coach house range of Tudor gothic character, built of coursed local stone with large stones as quoins and lintels. Slate roof with stone copings. The principal elevation faces a cobbled yard enclosed along the front wall by decorative railings between square stone built columns with pyramidal caps surmounted by ball finials. The gateway to the yard is at the E end with monolithic gate piers with similar capping and finials.
The central block of the range is slightly advanced and has a central, shallow pointed arched doorway with 2-light overlight and shaped hoodmould; flanking cartshed bays have similar heads and double boarded doors. To centre of the block is large dormer housing a large 3-light window with shaped hoodmould.
Flanking wings have shallow pointed arched central doorways housing boarded doors, there is a similarly shaped window of 4-panes above in a gabled half dormer that breaks the eaves line and flanking windows are 4-paned lights.

Interior

Now used as a lecture theatre, there are some stalls retained at the E end.

Reason for designation

Included as a C19 lofted coach house and stable range, skillfully converted so as to retain original character. Forms a group with the adjacent house at Plas Tan-y-bwlch.