172

 

II*  

Designated  

30/01/1968  

02/07/1998  

Coed Coch  

 

Conwy  

Betws Yn Rhos  

Abergele  

Coed Coch  

288127  

373970  

S  

Located in its own parkland setting approximately 0.7km SW of Dolwen; accessed via a long metalled drive running SW from the road.  

Domestic  

 

Country house commissioned for John Lloyd Wynne, High Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1800 and of Flintshire in 1825; the design is attributed to Henry Hakewill and the building incorporates a foundation stone dated 1804. The house originally consisted of two 3-bay ranges joined at right-angles, with a pedimented Doric entrance portico placed diagonally at the outer corner. In the early C20 alterations were undertaken which included the loss of this feature and the filling in of the corner section, with the relocation of the entrance to the end of the E range; Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the famous architect and conservationist, was involved in these alterations, though was not responsible for the loss of the portico.  

Large late Georgian country house of irregular plan, built around a service court open to the N. The house consists of a main 2-storey L-shaped range with an adjoining 3-storey block, also L-plan, and a series of chiefly single-storey extrusions and additions. Of local rubble with fine limestone ashlar to the main facades and dressings; shallow-pitched, hipped slate roofs with deep oversailing eaves to the main sections, plain chimneys with cornices. The main, L-shaped range consists of a 4-bay southern arm and a 5-bay eastern arm, with the present entrance occupying the first two bays of the latter. Here there is a Tuscan tetrastyle portico of sandstone with plain frieze and moulded cornice; tripartite balustrade above (most balusters and a section of the moulded rail are missing. Segmental barrel vaulted ceiling within; entrance with simply-moulded classical architrave with projecting keystone and panelled double doors. The ground floor windows to both arms are of large tripartite type with wooden transoms and small pane glazing; those to the southern side retain wooden blind boxes. The first floor windows are 16-pane unhorned sashes with continuous projecting sill-band. All the windows have projecting limestone architraves. Adjoining the southern arm at its W end is a single-storey rectangular addition with large square bay window to the S and a large bow window with conical roof to the W; both have full-height 12-pane sash windows, the bow with narrow 4-pane flanking lights. Extruded in the angle to the rear of the S and E ranges is the main staircase block surmounted by a large rotunda. Adjoining to the NW is the L-shaped 3-storey range. This has finely-coursed and tooled limestone facings and has a 7-bay W facade with 3-bay and 2-bay sections respectively flanking an advanced central 2-bay part. All windows are the original unhorned sashes with projecting sills and dressed limestone quoins and voussoirs; 20-pane to the ground floor and 12-pane to the first and second floors, the latter square and squat with sandstone lintels. The inner, service court side of this has a 6-bay main section and a 3-bay return section; 16, 12 and 9-pane windows, as before, to ground, first and second floors, with, at the far L of the main part, an entrance with modern part-glazed door. Adjoining this range to the W is a low modern, flat-roofed extension which connects with a 3-bay C19 block at right-angles with it; this is a single-storey rubble domestic block with hipped slate roof, and has a modern 3-bay catslide verandah to the front (facing E). Central entrance with part-glazed door and flanking 2-light windows with plain glazing and pointed-arched wooden heads. The 5-bay rear of this block has a central entrance and 2 flanking windows to each side, as before; 4-bay modern verandah with plain wooden posts and balustrade. Adjoining this to the N, via a short stretch of rubble wall with modern garden gate, is a simple square rubble garden shed with pyramidal roof and 4-part C20 windows. A low modern brick extension adjoins the rear of the 3-bay section, with a low, hipped-roofed pavilion block extruded in the angle behind the rotunda. This has an arched entrance stepped up to the L with a short flight of modern steps leading up to it; recessed 6-panel arched door. To the R of this is a large tripartite multi-pane sash window and above the entrance a flat-roofed dormer with 9-pane window. Adjoining the main (eastern) wing to the N, and completing the main house is a square single-storey block of snecked limestone with pyramidal roof and surmounting square, glazed lantern. Attached to this and continuing to the N is a low 3-bay lean-to woodshed with slated roof and brick piers. This is built against a 3m high rubble garden wall which returns to the W beyond the woodshed where there is a boarded garden entrance. The wall then continues northwards for some 20m parallel with a similar wall opposite (closing the coach and stable yard to the W) on either side of a metalled service approach. The wall terminates beyond a further cambered garden entrance in a square pier with simple coping.  

Early C20 circular entrance hall with coved ceiling and acanthus frieze. Large-field early C18 oak panelling to the walls, said to be re-used from Plas Uchaf, Llannefydd; raised and fielded panels and fluted pilasters with plain abaci. Bolection moulded stone fireplace. Opposite the hall is the staircase. This has a convex Roman Doric, 2-column screen, the fluted columns of stripped pine; metope frieze. The first flight consists of 4 segmental steps, followed by the staircase proper. This is of imperial type contained within a rotunda and has plain oak stick balusters and mahogany rail, scrolled at the ends. Arched exedra to mezzanine landing with 2 entrances off. The first floor landing has a Doric screen, as before. The rotunda's dome has a dentilated cornice and a gilded sunburst motif with plasterwork wreath ornament to the centre. Leading off from the stair to the R and L on the ground floor are circulation corridors with moulded cornices and an arched niche to each, that to the L with multi-pane glazed doors; plain architraves with projecting imposts and keys. Oak dado panelling, 6-panel fielded doors and simple classical moulded cornices to polite ground floor rooms; that to the R of the entrance has an early C20 oak fireplace with fluted Ionic columns, metope frieze and egg-and-dart moulded surround. Late C18 white and yellow/black figured marble fireplace in main ball room (reused in early C20), with scrolled and fluted pilasters and plain moulded mantel shelf; rustic puti relief group to the centre frieze.  

Graded II* for its special interest as a large late Georgian country house in a mature parkland setting and retaining a remarkable staircase. Group value with other listed items at Coed Coch.