191

 

II*  

Designated  

30/01/1968  

22/07/1998  

Former Stable and Coach-house Range at Melai  

 

Conwy  

Llanfair Talhaiarn  

 

Melai  

290123  

367740  

 

Located immediately SE of Melai, facing the house; a cobbled pavement lies in front.  

Domestic  

 

Fine early C19 stable and coach-house block built apparently in 1804 to serve Melai. Melai was an important seat in the early medieval period and was the ancestral home of the Wynnes of Melai and Maenan Abbey; from this house descended the Wynnes of Garthewin and the Lords Newborough of Rug. Melai produced High Sheriffs for Denbighshire in 1577, 1586, 1614, 1637 and finally 1712; thereafter Melai appears to have been tenanted. The Boar's head crest of the Wynnes of Melai (subsequently the Lords Newborough of Rug) appears on the contemporary weathervane.  

Fine 2-storey stable and coach-house range of squared, rough-dressed slate stone blocks with C19 graded slate roof, hipped at the sides; on a plain plinth. Eleven-bay symmetrical facade with advanced, 3-bay pedimented section to the centre. This has a large segmentally-arched 'tunnel' entrance giving access to a service courtyard to the rear; dressed slate-stone voussoirs with central projecting keystone and plain dripstone continued along the whole length of the facade as a first-floor sill course. Above the arch, in the gable apex, is an oculus with painted clock face and simple apron below. Flanking the arch are single arched windows to the ground and first floors, with projecting sills and keystones; mid C19 square-headed wooden cross-windows. Similar windows, though with depressed arched heads, to the first floor of the 4-bay flanking sections. The ground floors of these have wide depressed-arched coach/cart openings to the outer bays, that to the R reduced and now occupied by a mid-C19 3-light mullioned and transomed window. The 3 inner bays of each side consist of a central round-arched entrance with flanking cross-windows, as before. That to the L has a boarded lower door, pegged frame and segmental boarded fanlight; that to the R is blocked. In the centre of the roof is a contemporary octagonal wooden cupola with sloped, leaded (?) roof and large ball finial; this is surmounted by a complex iron weathervane with the boar's head crest of the Wynnes of Melai. Tudor-arched openings to the sides. The rear (service court) facade has a central arch as before, though lacking a label; an open segmental overlight surmounts it. To the L is a one-and-a-half storey projection with catslide roof; this has a central flight of covered stone steps leading to the upper floor, with segmentally-headed entrance, boarded door and pegged frame. To the L of the stair opening is a modern stable door, with a modern window above; to the R of the stair is a small, primary rectangular light (unglazed and barred), with a plain glazed window under the eaves above. L of the stair projection is an open entrance with a plain-glazed window above, both with segmental heads. To the R of the main arch is a second stair access leading to the upper floor; this is an open flight, parapetted and laterally-placed, against the side of the building. At the top is a catslide porch with a boarded door within. Beyond this is a further ground-floor segmental window, with boarded shutter. Adjoining the range at this end (E), and set at right-angles with it, is a short section of high curved wall which, together with a mirrored section adjoining the barn range opposite forms an enclosing screen wall to the courtyard, in 2 sections with central entrance; this is probably a mid C19 addition. The high parapet wall curves inwards where there is a flat buttress pier. Behind the wall is a 2-bay single-storey lean-to with modern door and steel-framed window.  

Depressed-arched entrances lead off on either side of the entrance passage, one (to the R) with the original boarded door and pegged frame, the others altered or blocked. King-post roof trusses and chamfered pine beams to ground floor; plain joists.  

Listed Grade II* for its special architectural interest as a particularly accomplished early C19 stable and coach-house range of elegant restraint. Group value with other listed items at Melai.