22666

 

II*  

Designated  

05/11/1999  

14/09/2004  

Ty Mawr  

 

Denbighshire  

Gwyddelwern  

Corwen  

Gwyddelwern  

307528  

346711  

W  

Aligned with main street of village, about 75m NE of Church of St Beuno.  

Domestic  

 

The building originated as a large farm house, apparently known as Ty Mawr. By the time of the Tithe Survey it was recorded under the name Rose and Crown and has been a public house ever since. Its timber-framed walls have been dedro-dated to 1572. Its original form appears to have been of storeyed, 3-unit lobby entry type. Its construction is highly unusual, since whilst it appears to be based on a box frame, the decorative timber-work is confined to the first floor, the posts of the box frame being encased in stone work at the ground floor. This stone-work (which projects forward of the face of the timber upper storey) is much altered, and the original arrangement of the ground storey is unknown, though there is no evidence that it was ever fully framed. The house was extended by two bays to the north, leaving the original north wall intact inside; to the south, a wing was added at the west, and a smaller one to the east; the south gable was also rebuilt. The building was extensively restored c2000.  

The original building comprises a three-unit, two-storeyed house ranging north/south; timber framed to first floor, underbuilt and extended in local rubble masonry, with slate roofs. One large stone chimney of considerable height rises axially between the south and central units. The timber-framing as visible externally in east and west walls (and internally to north and south) comprises a series of decorative panels with double lozenge braces, alternating with close-studding; windows (all reconstructed as diamond mullioned lights) fit into the vertically studded sections, including a long band of lights to either side of the porch. Ground floor has 3 irregularly spaced windows to left of porch in main range (the timber framed gabled porch is an addition of c2000), all with new timber diamond mullions. north extension is in plain uncoursed rubble; inserted or renewed windows throughout, all with timber mullions. Roof hipped over narrow extension at south end; rubble stone and rendered advanced wing with small mullioned window to first floor. Larger wing at rear.  

Essentially, the structure of the original remains intact, albeit partially encased in additions, and extensively renewed on restoration. The original layout can be traced in part, though there has been much alteration to the plan, including opening out the entire upper storey, and removing the ceiling in the added bays to the north to create a single space open to the roof. It appears to have comprised a 3-unit cross-passage plan with the chimney backing onto the passage, beyond which was a small outer room; beyond the fireplace was a hall and two inner rooms, with 3 chambers upstairs. At the ground floor, the early structure is visible, though the plan has been modified: it appears to have comprised cross passage and outer room to south of the fireplace (now a single room, though with evidence for the earlier partition), and hall to its north, divided by a surviving post and panel partition from paired inner rooms beyond (these also now a single room, further opened out into the added north bay): quality of finish on the timber-work to the hall and passage bay is notably higher than elsewhere, with stop-chamfered beams and joists. At first floor, the original north end gable now forms an internal partition at first floor level (the lower wall removed), with 4x2 panels of quatrefoil, all now lacking any infill material. Queen and king post truss above, slightly forward of the partition, from which it is jettied on brackets, above slim pilasters worked onto the faces of the studs. The north bay was formerly separated from the central main chamber by a partition (now missing). The two bays of the former main chamber are demarcated by a very unusual spere truss. Stack between central and south bays, with queen strut truss embedded in it; south bay has one strut truss of this type, also with evidence for a partition now missing, then the original south gable end is exposed with its decorative panelling, and queen and king-post truss similar to the north gable.  

Listed at grade II* for the remarkable quality of its timber-framing, and the unusual nature of its construction. Notwithstanding alterations and extensive restoration, the original construction and plan are still discernable.