Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Date of Designation
14/05/1998
Date of Amendment
14/05/1998
Name of Property
The Orangery at Plas Brondanw Gardens
Unitary Authority
Gwynedd
Location
Prominently-sited on the western boundary of the garden.
Broad Class
Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
History
Orangery and summerhouse, designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, architect and owner of the Brondanw estate; erected c1910. He created here one of Wales' most impressive gardens distinctive for its interlinked terraces, compartments and axial vistas that are aligned on the surrounding mountains of Moel Hebog, Moelwyn, Cnicht and Snowdon.
Exterior
Rectangular 2-storey building of local rough-dressed rubble with hipped, graded roof of small slates; feathered eaves with oversailing eaves courses and tiled ridges with reconstituted stone urn finials. Symmetrical 3-bay main (NE) front with 3 arched entrances with projecting keys and imposts; recessed multi-pane French doors. Above, 3 eliptical windows with recessed small-pane glazing; half-hipped slated dormer to centre of roof with octagonal window and spoked glazing bars. External parapetted stair to rear (SW) face leading to first-floor boarded entrance with oversailing parapet to NW; open entrance and square window to recess below stair. To the right of the stair on the ground floor is an arched entrance with French door as before; to the R of the first-floor entrance is a flush lateral chimney with moulded capping and narrow 6-pane casement beyond. Arched multi-pane window to SE gable with blind square window above; this with fresco painting. The NW gable is taller and the ground slopes away from it towards the main road (A 4085). The ground floor is consequently raised on this side; French door as before, giving onto a corbelled balcony with simple iron balustrade.
In front of the orangery a long flight of 16 slate steps descends in two stages to the lower garden level to the NE; plain wrought-iron handrail with urn finials.
Reason for designation
Listed Grade II* as a fine early work by the renowned architect and conservationist Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and as the most important single garden structure at Plas Brondanw.
Group value with other listed items at Plas Bondanw Gardens.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]