4218

 

II  

Designated  

19/01/1952  

31/03/1999  

Talhenbont  

 

Gwynedd  

Llanystumdwy  

Criccieth  

Llanystumdwy  

246129  

339593  

 

The house, until recently known as Plas Hen, stands N of Llanystumdwy and is reached by a driveway leading off the road running NE from Chwilog in the direction of Rhoslan.  

Domestic  

 

Plas Hen was held by Gruffydd ap John ap Grono with Trefan and passed to Robert 'fychan' in the late C15. His son Gruffydd ap Robert Fychan had 17 children by 1 wife, and died in 1556. The property passed to Robert Vaughan in 1588 and devolved on his brother Richard in 1599, who became High Sheriff in 1600. He married Ann Vaughan daughter of William Vaughan of Corsegedol and built a new house on the site, inscribing WV and 1607 over the door, at which time it became known as Plas Hen. After the last of the Vaughans, Evan Lloyd Vaughan MP, it passed to Sir Thomas Mostyn, and was later the home of the antiquary William Williams. The house became a local headquarters for the Royalist forces during the Civil War, under Sir John Owen of Clenennau. The form of the present house dates to the early C17, but has been extended to the NE, and further extended in the C19.  

The house is built of rubble stonework with ashlar dressings and slate roofs with imposed slate copings. Two storeys, cellar and attics. The plan consists of a hall range with W cross wing, entered now by a wide gabled C19 porch on the wing leading to a parlour, passing through to the great hall with lateral stack. Extensions of the C19 on the NE corner, with a service wing extending to the N. Plinth with ogee moulding around hall and wing. The S door of the hall, in the angle with the wing, has ogee moulded jambs rising to a Tudor arch, with a label moulding over, turned up at the ends and framing the initials WV. Stone ovolo-mullioned windows throughout, 4-light and transomed to the hall, 2- and 3-light above, some restored, and similar windows on the wing. The elevation of the wing consists of a large central gable with terminal stack representing the original end gable of the hall range, extended each side. Mullioned and transomed windows with leaded glazing on the NE side. Stone bracketed eaves. The added narrow rear wing parallel to the hall projects to the E, and is whitewashed with raised joints, with further additions under a hipped slate roof. On the N front, a modern coat of arms with a motto NON NOBIS NAIT. Tall square chimneys with moulded caps.  

The main hall has a fine lateral arched fireplace with a voussoir hood and central shield of arms. Above, in the wall, a larger stone coat of arms bearing quarterly Collwyn ap Tangno, Osborn Wyddel, and Ednyfed fychan, 1607, all supported on colonnettes, probably C19, with stiff-leaf capitals. Four main slightly chamfered plain cross beams probably originally with an underdrawn ceiling. Good C19 encaustic tiled floor. The entrance parlour has C17 oak panelling, restored, with an arcaded top frieze and a small arched fireplace on the S gable end.  

Included as a major C17 house of the area, retaining its original form and detail, and for the later good quality alterations.