1223

 

II  

Designated  

03/03/1966  

22/12/1989  

Siambr Wen  

 

Denbighshire  

Llangollen  

 

 

321622  

342241  

 

Set back from the road above the Llangollen Canal; faces SW across the town.  

Domestic  

 

Probably earlier C18 house, remodelled ca 1800 and externally given a strong Picturesque Gothick character. Extended to left in later C19 by Henry Robertson, the leading railway engineer who directed the constrution of Vale of Llangollen Railway; some of his family were then living here. This extension is not shown on 1st edition OS Map, surveyed in 1872; the architect may have been S Pountney Smith. The rear of the house was partly demolished ca 1946 and rebuilt.  

2 storeys with pebbledash elevators and slate roofs and similarly rendered chimney stacks. 3+1-window front to SW, the main part of which is symmetrical with crenellated parapet, octagonal end turrets and freestone stringcourses and other dressings. 4-centre arched windows with labels and freestone lintels; the outer 1st floor windows are small pane sashes with Y-tracery heads - that to centre is a Y-tracery small pane casement; similar ground floor French windows. Square porch with similar parapet and corner turrets; 4-centred arch doorway with label and 6-panel Gothick door; 12-pane sashes to sides. To left is a single storey range. Splayed bay window with hipped pyramidal roof and freestone top to bay with linked labels, over 4-centred heads; French windows to centre. Cusped eaves valence continued around bargeboards on twin gabled end with pendants and tall finials; 4-pane sash windows with similar heads. Porch to rear. The rear of the main house has been rebuilt with small pane casement windows, twin gables to right and crenellated parapet continued around from SE side elevation where former rear corner turret is retained. In the garage to the rear there are medieval stone slabs set vertically into the wall - they probably originate from Valle Crucis Abbey, were then used in the rebuilding of the Llangollen bridge (C16/C17) and rediscovered by Henry Robertson when altering the bridge for the railway. They were then placed in the garden here and set into garage walls in recent years. They probably date from ca 1300.  

The main ground floor rooms have squared cross beams with cornice mouldings; 6-panel doors, the reveals of which are considerably deeper to left (this characteristic is evident upstairs as well). The stop-chamfered ceiling beams from the former kitchen have been reused in a 1st floor bedroom; one door reused from Wynnstay. Probably earlier C18 cornice to landing; Regency staircase. In the drawing room is a picture of the house by Henry Robertson's aunt.