15810

 

II*  

Designated  

22/02/1995  

22/02/1995  

Maesmawr Hall  

 

Powys  

Guilsfield  

 

Maesmawr  

316672  

309660  

 

Located in a narrow valley, approached by a long driveway from Maesmawr Road, and is set in its own landscaped grounds.  

Domestic  

 

Gentry house, c.1689-92, for Lloyd family, [Edward Lloyd?] to replace, an earlier building, the site of which is not established. Altered by Capt Lloyd Jones in early C19, and extended c.1850-60, probably by W.H.Hill, architect of Shrewsbury, for William Curling, a Midlands industrialist to provide a sporting estate.  

C17 brick in irregular Flemish bond, with steeply pitched slate hipped roof and lead flat. Two storeys, basement and 2 attic floors, in Restoration style. Double pile plan, originally large reception rooms either side of central hall, which leads to a lateral stair in the narrower rear range, behind two internal stacks. Plan to W of hall altered c.1850-60, to form large room with canted bay overlooking gardens, and a large(10m) ballroom added to the rear. Various later minor alterations. Stacks panelled (?C19 rebuild) symmetrically above roof. S elevation of 7 window bays, with large mid C19 central porch with steep hipped roof and round headed openings between corner pilasters, covering 7 steps to the reworked round-headed main entrance door. Facade has plat band, returning at ends, but eaves rebuilt in red brick late C19; now with moulded brick dentils replacing a crenellated parapet. Twelve-paned sashes set within rebated reveals, probably early C19. Two ranges of dormers, the lower round-headed plate glass sashes, the upper, smaller with heavy segmental pediments, both ranges supported with carved scroll brackets. Two canted 2-storey bay windows overlooking W gardens, one supported on an arcaded gazebo at basement level, and similar canted bay to rear. The house is recorded as having a 1.2m high oak roof parapet, with 44 coats of arms of related gentry, which was removed when the house was re-slated in 1770. The grounds contain an extensive lake to the N, created by Captain Lloyd Jones 46.1820, and later garden design by Edward Kemp c.1858.  

Hall enlarged to W in C19. Dining room right of hall, fully bolection moulded oak panelling with matching doors, and 3-centred recess at E end. Ceiling divided into 9 bays, early C18, plastered with garlands and classical figures in central roundels. Seventeenth century open-well stair top rear of dining room rises through 3 floors, with deep handrail and ambitiously turned balusters between square newels. Pulvinated string and plaster garlands on soffite. Openings to the stair well have fan decorated segmental plaster tympana. Ballroom to rear has heavy coved anthemion cornice and Carrara marble fireplace, the two bays to this room both with plate glass sashes. Upper floors have framed walls and chamfered timbered beamed ceilings, dragon beams to the corners, and a form of upper crucks to the roof. Plan adjusted in C19 to provide a batchelor 'barrack room' for shooting parties. Over the ballroom a top-lit billiard room.  

Graded II* as an important example of a fashionable Restoration period house with a particularly fine contemporary dining room and stair, but still constructed with traditional Montgomeryshire framing. The house is also illustrative of adaptations made for society life in the early-mid Victorian period.