Plas Offa

Cadw's description

Location

Situated set back behind lawned garden.

History

Detached later C19 villa of fine sandstone, said to have been built with stones from the old gaol after it closed in 1878. Built c1880 for William Gwalchmai James, a descendant of the noted minister, the Rev Humphrey Gwalchmai of Llanidloes. It stands next to the former gaol front drive and N of an older coach-house, apparently built for use of the gaol governor. W.G. James died in 1907, his sister Sarah in 1912, later occupied by Miss Mary James, died 1965, daughter of E.R. James, tanner.

Exterior

Detached villa, tooled squared sandstone with slate hipped roof and bracketed deep eaves with finials on the brackets. Two square stone chimneys with cornices, the right one taller. Two storeys, three bays. First floor 4-pane horned sashes in ashlar chamfered surrounds. Ground floor has outer canted bay windows with hipped slate roofs with fishscale banding; similar roof to central porch. These roofs have brackets with turned pendants. Ashlar canted bays have ashlar bases with sunk panels under each window. Centre hipped roof is carried on pierced cast-iron uprights with anthemion patterns, four-panel door with overlight in chamfered surround, flanked by narrow sidelights with similar small panels beneath. Two-window left end wall with similar eaves and windows, French window in ground floor right opening. Outshut rear with three small sash windows over modern conservatory.

Interior

Interior not inspected.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a well-detailed Victorian stone villa, retaining original character and detail virtually intact.