Manor House

Cadw's description

Location

No 10 is located at an angle to the road, facing NW onto a paved courtyard; No 12 fronts Well Street, which slopes down steeply towards the E.

History

Late C18-early C19, probably with earlier origins. The cellars are said to contain Tudor work, and possibly stone from Ruthin Castle. The 2 houses have been a single property for some time. The building was a boarding house for Ruthin School, before the school moved to a new site in 1893. It was subsequently a doctor's house, before becoming a restaurant over 30 years ago.

Exterior

Main front is at right-angles to the street, symmetrical 2-storey 3-window range, with central entrance. Constructed of coursed squared limestone under a hipped slate roof set back behind parapets with flat stone copings; 4 stone stacks with brick caps. The windows are small-pane hornless sashes under slightly cambered wedge lintels, 12-pane above entrance, tripartite to sides. Entrance is reached through a gabled glazed wooden porch of c2000. Inside is a tripartite stone doorcase with moulded pilasters and a pedimented head containing a 6-panel door under a 3-pane overlight with small-pane sidelights. Wooden conservatory in front of R-hand window, in same style as porch, with hipped roof to end; the tripartite window is converted to a doorway. South end of main range, partly visible, has single-storey range adjoining at an angle, rendered under a slate roof with brick end stack, which is said to have earlier origins.
Front to Well Street consists of No 10 to R and No 12 to L, the former with higher floor levels as the ground rises. No 10 is 3-storey 2-window, of random stone under a slate roof, with stone plinth and stone eaves cornice, the latter a continuation of parapets from W front. To L of ground and 1st floors, paired hornless 12-pane sashes under slightly cambered wedge lintels; small sash without glazing bars under similar lintel to 2nd floor. To R, blind openings with similar lintels: possible doorway to ground floor blocked with stone; 1st and 2nd floor windows infilled with lined render. Adjoining to L and with same eaves cornice is No 12. It is 2-storey 2-window, of larger blocks of random stone. Upper storey has 12-pane sashes under wedge lintels as elsewhere. Opening to lower R replaced by a cross-window with small-pane glazing. Rectangular doorway to L containing inset double panelled doors reached by 3 stone steps; a Victorian slated porch canopy is now missing.

Interior

Entrance hall has plastered ceiling cornice with Anthemion frieze. Panelled doors to L and R, to bar areas, and straight ahead; further panelled doors elsewhere.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a late C18-early C19 house retaining its late-Georgian character and detail. Group value with surrounding listed buildings in Well Street.