4816

 

II*  

Designated  

30/11/1966  

14/05/1998  

L-shaped Agricultural Range at Parc  

 

Gwynedd  

Llanfrothen  

 

Parc  

262645  

343955  

 

Located immediately to the W of Parc, facing a farmyard to the N.  

Agriculture and Subsistence  

 

Parc was the ancient and chief seat of the Anwyls, one of the most notable families of Meirionedd in the Tudor and Stuart periods. A junior branch of the Clenneny family, they were settled at Parc by at least the mid C16 and possibly earlier. Robert ap Morris (d.1576) was responsible for the first of a series of unit-planned ranges which, by the late C17 comprised a large complex of 4 domestic blocks and a gatehouse, as well as associated stable and agricultural ranges. Robert's grandson, William Lewis Anwyl was the first of the family to hold the office of High Sheriff (Meirionedd 1610 and 1623, and Caernarvonshire 1636). He is known to have greatly extended Parc in the early C17 and his will (he died in 1641) mentions the newly-built plas. A cywydd by the poet Huw Machno speaks of 'his new house of great construction,' as well as mentioning gardens, orchards, walls, parks and 'fair towers.' It is likely that the primary house was rebuilt or remodelled during this period and that the second, third and fourth ranges (Parc 2,3 and 4) were also fully or partly his work. The main section of the agricultural range is an exceptionally-fine primary barn which is probably also part of William Lewis Anwyl's remodelling and may, like its parallel at Plas Newydd, have originated as a stable range with accommodation over; evidence of partitioning and even ceiling over of one central section of the first floor, make this a possibility. To this was added a further barn range in the later C17 or early C18, forming a flush, continuously-roofed range of 10 bays in all; the fine gable parapet of the primary barn's right-hand gable was reused to serve the newer section. At the same time a series of what appear to have been 2-light mullioned windows on both floors of the primary range were carefully reduced to form neat vertical ventilation slits. A contemporary or near-contemporary addition was a 3-bay carthouse, built at right-angles with the primary barn.to the NE.  

Long rectangular range of two conjoined barns each of 5 bays, with a low 3-bay carthouse addition to the NE, thereby forming an L-plan. Of local rubble construction, that to the primary barn (L) with slate ashlar dressings of the highest quality. Modern slate roof with fine overlapping slab-coped gable parapets; double-shaped kneelers and coved eaves. Traces of lime render survive under the eaves and around the entrance of the earlier barn. Central entrances to this, that to the NE original, that to the SW a modern reconstruction based on the latter. This has a wide, slightly-pointed, segmentally-arched entrance with slatestone ashlar voussoirs and quoins. Above is a moulded dripstone supported on corbels in the manner of a returned label; modern boarded doors. Above the NE entrance is an open 2-light mullioned window with original ovolo-moulded slate mullion; evidence for former bars can be seen on the soffit. 2 pairs of ventilation slits flank the entrance on two floors. The later section is flush with and continuously-roofed with the earlier barn. This has a central entrance with slate lintel and dressed voussoirs (graffito - 'ET 1840'); modern entrance to R with boarded doors. To the L of the primary entrance, a vertical ventilation slit, with 5 further, similar slits to the upper storey. External stepped access to raised loading bay on gable end, with modern boarded door. Opposing entrance to rear, with further ventilation slits and a modern 8-pane casement window. A low 3-bay former carthouse block adjoins the primary barn to the NE; construction as before with monolithic slatestone piers dividing bays to the farmyard side. Slab-coped gable parapet to gable with curved kneelers.  

5-bay primary barn with chamfered oak tie-beam trusses with vertical struts; some purlins and all the rafters are replacements. The trusses flanking the entrance bay show evidence of having been closed above the tiebeam and ceiled below it; the right-hand truss also has a groove on its underside, indicative of a former post-and-panel partition. The dividing floor has been removed (apparently early on), though evidence for its former existence is apparent.  

Listed Grade II* for its special interest as a fine C17 range belonging to the highly-important unit-planned Parc group.