746

 

II*  

Designated  

19/07/1966  

05/02/1998  

Old Stable Block and Bodidris Cottage to South-west of Bodidris  

 

Denbighshire  

Llandegla  

Ruthin  

Bodidris  

320452  

353665  

 

Some 100m SW of Bodidris, forming the E side of a courtyard group, bounded to the north by a range which includes Laundry Cottage, Gardener's Cottage and the Barn; to the west by the Bothy and sheltershed; with range of outbuildings to the south.  

Domestic  

 

A major gentry house, being home for a branch of the Lloyd family. Datestone of 1581 suggests the house may have been built by Evan Lloyd, following his appointment as Sheriff of Denbigh in 1583: in close proximity to the near-contemporary main house, the two houses presumably functioned independently, with separate gentry households in each, an example of the 'unit system' identified in Welsh vernacular architecture. In the C19 the building was converted into a stable block, and is now divided into several living units including two cottages and a studio flat with adjoining conference centre.  

Late C16 hall-house with lateral chimney. Original layout modified on partial conversion to stables, but apparently included a cross-passage plan with storeyed entrance porch, and first floor parlour at upper end. Constructed of rubble stone with gabled slate roof; window lintels, sills and jambs have single stone blocks as dressings. The long, straight garden elevation to E has elegant cupola-style stone clock tower; clock dials face to E and W and narrow vertical embrasures to N and S; incurving pyramidal roof and weathervane. Long 2-storey front has six small C16 window openings to upper floor; original mullions have been removed and replaced by C19 and C20 glazing. Ground floor has (left to right): late C19 studded door with 4-pane rectangular overlight, pair of 2-pane casements, C19 studded door with 3-pane overlight, then another casement-pair, a boarded door with overlight, and finally another casement. A single storey gabled block projects to E to right; S elevation has C20 oak boarded door with cover beads and C20 2-light window. The W elevation overlooks the rear courtyard, and originally formed the C16 house front. Two-storey porch offset to left has big stone quoins and brick gable coping with stone finial, and single light window to first floor. Original porch doorway replaced in C19 by opening with cambered brick arch; plain boarded door with rectangular overlight; single light window to right. S wall of porch has C16 2-light mullion window above and 1-light window below. To left of porch, main wall of house has 1-light window and C20 window on first floor. Ground floor has blocked cyclopean-type doorway left, then 3-light C19 wooden mullion and transom window with big stone lintel. To right of porch, first floor has two 3-light windows, then a projecting lateral chimney with a 2-light stone mullion to its right; ground floor has C19 doorway with boarded door, 4-pane rectangular overlight and cambered brick arch, next a C19 sash window with big plate-glass panes, then a small vertical 3-light window to left of stack. Impressive S gable-end is crowned by an ornamental finial depicting a bearded human face. 2-light window on first-floor has stone lintel with horizontal scratch moulding, inscription incised on head reads 'ANO DOMIE 1581' now badly eroded; jambs rounded at angles. Ground-floor has cyclopean-type blocked doorway with Tudor-shaped stone head, infilled with pair of 2-pane casements. North gable-end has similar blocked cyclopean doorway in lower wall, visible from shelter shed.  

Bodidris Cottage not accessible at time of inspection. Adjoining ground-floor room has chamfered ceiling beams and joists; straight cut stops. Upper chamber to N has C16 fireplace with monolithic jambs, and shaped corbels carrying projecting stone bressumer; timber framed partition with Tudor-arched doorway. Collar and tie-beam roof truss with king and queen posts below and V-struts above the collar.  

A very important and well-preserved large late C16 Welsh gentry house, associated with the adjacent Bodidris, possibly originally as an example of the 'unit system' of household arrangement.