22678

 

II  

Designated  

19/07/1966  

29/11/1999  

No.2 The Almshouses  

 

Denbighshire  

Llanrhaeadr-Yng-Nghinmeirch  

Denbigh  

Llanrhaeadr  

308106  

363382  

 

Adjoining the churchyard at the W end.  

Health and Welfare  

 

The Llanrhaeadr almshouses were erected by Jane, widow of Maurice Jones of Ddol and Llanrhaeadr hall in 1729. The foundation provided for eight houses and gardens for poor elderly folk of the parish. The complex was conceived as an H-shaped block with a central gabled porch giving access via a covered passage to a large walled garden at the rear. The eight units were originally of one room each and had shared chimneys; their entrances were from the passage, rear and sides, thereby ensuring that the facade appeared as a unified whole. In 1820 the great great nephew of the foundress, William, second Baron Bagot of Blifthfield in Staffordshire, and Pool Park and Bachymbyd in Denbighshire, repaired the almshouses and made minor alterations, notably to the chimneys and openings. The complex was further restored in 1963 and is currently divided into four units.  

 

 

Listed for its special interest as a second-quarter C18 almshouse complex with sensitive C19 alterations retaining particularly good external character. Group value with other listed items at the Almshouses and St Dyfnog's Church.  

Nos 1-4 The Almshouses, Llanrhaeadr. Single-storey almshouse complex of whitened rubble construction with dressings of buff sandstone and brown brick, also now whitened; slate roof with 4 central brick chimneys, their upper sections rebuilt. The complex has an H plan and a 7-bay symmetrical facade, with advanced gabled wings at the ends and a storeyed and gabled central porch section of brick. This has gable parapets with moulded sandstone copings and shaped kneelers; the gabled wings have similar treatment and, in addition, raised brick quoins. C19 timber cross-windows with moulded mullions and transoms and latticed casements. Above those to the wings are fielded sandstone dedication plaques, that to the L recording the date and circumstances of the foundation, and that to the R recording the 1820 restoration. The central porch has a depressed arch leading into the passage. Above this is a further sandstone plaque recording the 1963 restoration, with a single-light latticed window above. The rear elevation is similar, though originally had entrances to the R and L of the main section, in the corners with the projecting wings; these have been reduced to small-pane modern casement windows. The rear porch gable is of whitened rubble, rather than brick, and has a depressed stone arch. The passage has single entrances to L and R with ribbed and boarded doors. Similar entrances to the sides, corresponding to the rear units in the original arrangement. These have adjacent cross-windows as before. Beyond these are the reduced former entrances to the front units, also with modern casement windows.