Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Date of Designation
27/10/1950
Date of Amendment
05/08/1997
Name of Property
King's Lodge, also known as Abergele Lodge
Location
Located at the W end of the town, at the junction of a lane to Tan-y-Gopa and Betws-yn-Rhos.
History
Gwrych Castle was created from 1816 onwards by Lloyd Bamford Hesketh in association with Thomas Rickman who is best known for his writings on Gothic architecture. The boundary wall, with its various lodges and gates probably followed the main building's completion in c1822, although works continued until c1850.
Exterior
Built of uncoursed limestone rubble, with squared dressings and slate roofs. Twin drum towers in the manner of the Edwardian castles of North Wales, rising to a deep crenellated parapet set forward on corbel brackets suggesting machicolations. Between the towers, the outer gate has a 4-centred chamfered arch, and above, the family arms on a shield. Behind the towers, a small open court in a barbican, leading to the inner gate set in a tall rear wall with a similar carriage arch, and to each sides lower walls. Pointed arched doors give access to the lodges on each side, each of which has an upper floor Perpendicular style cast iron windows facing W towards the park, on the outer side of each tower. From the rear walls lead at right angles both sides to miniature corner towers, which are then connected directly to the enclosing park wall, q.v.
Reason for designation
Included as a conspicous landmark, and Graded II* as the main entrance to the park; an exemplar of the fashion for castellated structures of the time, and with important group value with the castle and other structures on the Gwrych Estate.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]