26267

 

II*  

Designated  

28/03/2002  

28/03/2002  

South-west Farm Building at Mostyn Hall Farm  

 

Flintshire  

Mostyn  

Mold  

Mostyn Park  

314726  

380649  

 

Along the SW side of the farmyard at Mostyn Hall, and at right-angles to the dovecote.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

Mostyn Hall is a large country house, the seat of the Mostyn family and its antecedents since the C15. The house, mainly of the C16 and C17, was extensively remodelled by Ambrose Poynter, architect, in 1846-7. A Tudor gate-house range is located to the SW of the house and is dated 1570, while further SW is substantial quadrangle of farm buildings of late C16 origin. The multi-purpose SW farm building, including stables and cow-house, forms part of the quadrangle of farm buildings. Internal timber framing and stone mullioned windows suggest a C16 origin for the SW building. The estate had significant and large-scale agricultural interests by the later C16: a 1576 inventory of livestock shows that the combined farms of Mostyn, Gloddaith and Tregarnedd had nearly 300 head of cattle and 30 horses. This range may have been built by William Mostyn, the ambition of whose building plans is clearly evinced by Porth Mawr. Shown in its present form on the Tithe map of 1846-9.  

Long 2-storey range with advanced gabled block to R of centre, constructed of rubble stone under a slate roof with raised copings to gables. Entrance to upper storey to NW side of gabled block; wide opening with segmental arch of stone voussoirs leading to stone steps. Boarded door to L with overlight; 2 narrow stone-lined lights to upper storey. The gable end has a 2-light stone mullioned window to each storey. Similar window to SE side, infilled with brick, R of which is a reduced stack. Lean-to against lower storey with door and window, and boarded opening to end with segmental brick head. The main range flanking the gable has 2-light stone mullioned windows to upper storey, 6-window to L and 4-window to R. Alternate windows are blocked with brick, the others with glazing and louvres. Alterations to lower storey openings with evidence for blockings. Most are boarded doors under segmental heads of stone voussoirs. To far L, 2-light boarded window with timber lintel, infill of a former doorway. Stable door to R, followed by a window, a further stable door flanked by ventilation slits and a boarded hatch. Stub wall at right angles towards L with infilled doorway. To the R of the gabled block are 3 boarded doors, the 3rd with a timber lintel, and blocked ventilation slits. Jambs of earlier openings are also visible. The NW gable end is joined by a later farm building. The rear side has a recessed 1st floor doorway offset to the R, flanked by stone mullioned windows as front, 5 to L and 2 to R, 3 infilled with brick, the mullion missing 1st and 3rd from L. The lower storey has a blocked doorway to far L, 2 doorways as front, window openings with stone voussoir heads containing louvres and ventilation slits. Infilled window opening to SE gable under which is an added single-storey unit with attic, probably adapted in the mid C19 as a weighbridge house (and listed separately).  

The staircase leads to a small room in the advanced gabled block, divided by a box-framed partition, and with a shaped timber doorhead. The room is plastered with a small fireplace. Main range has no floor surviving to upper storey, but large cross-beams.  

Listed grade II* as a fine multi-purpose farm building of C16 origin, built on a large-scale consistent with the importance of this major estate, and forming part of an exceptionally fine and important early group of farm buildings at Mostyn Hall.