1692

 

II*  

Designated  

16/11/1962  

15/03/1994  

Llan-y-Cefn  

 

Wrexham  

Overton  

 

Knolton  

335599  

341081  

N  

Approached by a track adjacent to Gwalia, and about 1 km from the road, above the River Dee.  

Domestic  

 

The earliest surviving part of the present house is a hall which is probably C16, to which a cross wing was added or rebuilt in the mid-late C17, and which was extended again with the addition of 2 rear service wings in the C18-C19. The earliest party of the house was cruck framed, and 2 cruck trusses are partially visible. The external walls all appear to be rendered over brick, but there are also substantial timber framed partitions in the C17 wing. The house was remodelled during the C19, and one of the rooms was furnished with a pastiche of Renaissance carved wood panels, reminiscent of Plas Newydd in Llangollen.  

Original part of the building forms the present entrance hall with a large room to its right. Doorway in gabled porch with timber struts and scalloped bargeboards to left, in angle with C17 wing. Door itself heavily panelled and nailed. Moulded woo mullioned and transomed windows with leaded iron casement of 2 and 3 lights to right of doorway, and in gabled dormer above. Rear wall stack, the brickwork renewed in the upper courses. C17 wing at right angles to this range has 4-light leaded moulded wood windows to ground floor, and 3-light windows in floor above. Inserted 2-light dormer window in the roof. Top-lit conservatory substantially rebuilt against gable wall. Stack projects from S elevation (garden front) tied to roof-line by a gablet. 2-light mullioned and transomed windows with leaded lights flank the stack at first floor level, and there is a wide 3-light leaded mullioned and transomed window lighting the stairs towards the centre of the range. Oriel window with leaded lights carried on moulded wood struts to its left, above flat roofed C20 extension, which cuts remains of plat band. A further side wall stack to rear with paired brick shafts to chimney. Kitchen wing continues the line of the C17 wing. Largely late C19, it incorporates elements of an earlier extension which has been widened and raised in height, and which had a rough sandstone plinth. Behind the original range, there is a further extension, also probably added in the C19 but includes a substantial fireplace internally.  

Base of cruck trusses visible in main room in original range, panelled over, together with ceiling beams, probably during the C19. C17 wing has 2 rooms, one to either side of the staircase. Staircase has C17 style splat balusters, but may be a C19 remodelling. Dado panelling with moulded rails has also been partially renewed, in staircase and entrance hall, but some C17 panels do survive. The W room has painted wall panelling (in situ?) of a C17 type with small panels, and in inglenook fireplace with carved arcaded panels over the bressumer. The E room incorporates an ornate scheme of panelled and carved decoration, probably using elements of C17 renaissance work, extended and embellished with C19 work, and including fireplace surround and overmantle, window surrounds, including fretted ‘canopies’, and dado panelling.  

Included at Grade II* because of the exceptional interest of the panelled interiors.