85495

 

II  

Designated  

20/10/2005  

20/10/2005  

Stable and coach house at Iscoyd Park  

 

Wrexham  

Bronington  

Whitchurch  

Iscoyd  

350480  

342015  

 

On the E side of the house.  

 

 

Iscoyd Park was built in the early C18 and was extended by William Hanmer in 1747. From 1780 it was owned by Rev Richard Congreve (d 1782) and his descendants, who sold it to Philip Lake Godsal in 1843. The stable and coach house are shown on an estate plan of 1780, and 2 other near-contemporary plans. At R angles was originally another range of buildings facing a farmyard, but the present range is later, part of it dated 1878, and has been converted to offices. Additional stabling was added to the rear which is shown on the 1873 Ordnance Survey.  

A large L-shaped block of buildings, the earliest part of the which are 2 ranges placed end-to-end facing the service yard of the house. Both are brick with sawtooth eaves and have slate roofs behind coped gables on moulded kneelers. The higher coach house to the SE end has 3 elliptical carriage openings, with keystones, to double doors with strap hinges. To their R is a panel door under a small-pane mullioned overlight, the entrance to loose boxes, then a yard wall (listed separately), beyond which are 2 small-pane cross windows. The loft has blind openings grouped 3+2 in line with the main openings below. The lower stable is set slightly back at the NW end. It has a plat band, and asymmetrical accent provided by an elliptical passage arch L of centre. The passage has double boarded gates with strap hinges. On the L side of the passage are two segmental-headed 2-light casements in the lower storey and square-headed 2-light casements above. On the R side of the passage are 2 shuttered openings with small-pane overlights, between which is a split boarded door with strap hinges and 3-pane overlight. Above are 3 blind windows. Attached at the L end are double boarded gates to the stock yard. The gable end has 3 stepped diamond-pattern breathers in the loft. The rear wing, in 3 sections, has openings to the stock yard, and to a stable yard enclosed within the L-shaped plan. Facing the stock yard the first section, converted to offices, has lower eaves than the main stable, and is of brick with sawtooth eaves and slate roof behind coped gables. It has a segmental-headed double doorway, with keystone dated 1878 and boarded doors. To its L is a similar but single door, and to the R end a small segmental-headed window. Two loft pitching eyes are now glazed, and on the L side are X-pattern and diamond-pattern breathers. Set back to its L is a former mill, with boarded door and infilled large opening. Further L is a lower range, probably a cow shed, with wide full-height opening and gabled bay at the L end. Facing the rear the coach house and loose boxes have replacement loft glazing. The rear of the main stable block, to the L of the passage, has an added lean-to stable with 3 split doors and 3 small-pane iron-frame windows. In the stable yard elevation of the rear wing the wall has been partly rebuilt. It has 2 segmental-headed boarded doors and X-pattern and diamond-pattern breathers. The mill has a split boarded door and 2 external wheels for the belt drives that would have been attached to a portable engine.  

In the coach house block, the doorway opens to a lobby with straight stair to the loft and, to the R, a boarded door under a fretwork Renaissance-style wooden panel, leading to 2 loose boxes retaining original boarded sliding doors surmounted by iron bars.  

Listed for its special architectural interest as one of a series of well-preserved outbuildings, of which the C18 front range forms an intact ensemble that makes a strong contribution to the historical integrity of the house and its outbuildings.