22071

 

II  

Designated  

21/07/1999  

21/07/1999  

Groes Hall  

 

Conwy  

Llansannan  

Denbigh  

Groes  

300898  

364855  

E  

Located within grounds at the N end of the village of Groes; reached by private driveway from the B5428, an earlier entrance led from the A543, and the house is located just N of the junction of the two roads.  

Domestic  

 

Originally the home of, and probably built for, the Vaughan (later Vaughan Jones) family, 2 members of which were High Sheriffs of Denbighshire in the 1600s. The oldest fabric of the house is found in what was the main house at the N end of the present building. The original house possibly a timber-framed cross passage house with lateral chimney; some timber framed wattle and daub walls in the first floor remain and a large stone fireplace which bears the date 1667. The house appears to have been extensively rebuilt and enlarged in the C18 and C19; much of the fenestration dates from these later refurbishments, as well as features such as the oak panelling and doors, fireplaces, and late C19 bathroom fittings. The house has been subdivided in the mid C20.  

Large gentry house comprising the main range to the N and the former domestic wing set at right angles to the rear (S) to form a T-shaped plan. Roughcast rendered elevations with stressed quoins. Slate roof, the W gable has projecting verges with pierced bargeboards and shaped finial. Main range is 2-storeyed with attics, 3-window range. Lateral stack offset to right with doorway immediately to its left; paired panelled doors. Ground floor windows are 6-paned casements, 1st floor windows are 12-pane sashes with intersecting tracery in the upper lights. Three hipped dormers in the roof, with 2-light small paned casements; 2 small stacks to right, one at the gable apex, one in the front roof slope. The left (E) gable return asymmetrical with rear roof slope outshut over lower bay. Three windows aligned in main gable, ground and first floor windows are large horned sash windows of 8 tall panes, a 12-pane horned sash in the gable apex above. The outshut has a 16-pane horned sash 1st floor window, the ground floor has a 4-pane light in a former doorway which retains the highly ornated carved wooden surround; the outer jambs and lintel are carved with an intricate design, the inner jambs are fluted with an inner arch supported on corbels at the head, fretwork carving in the spandrels and stressed, shaped keystone. There is a round headed 16-pane casement in the rear (S) wall. The right (W) gable return has a projecting, rendered brick stack to the left (N), a large window of 4 x 6-pane casement windows directly to its right and a lean-to addition at the far right (S) with 2 x 9-pane casement windows. The rear (S) elevation has a doorway to the left (W), a first floor window above of 3 x 6-pane casements and a hipped dormer to the attic, detailed as those of the front (N) elevation. To the right of the doorway is a 12-pane casement window, and to the right is a slightly projecting stair window bay which has a 12-pane casement window to the ground floor, a 16-pane casement to the first floor and an 8-pane light surmounted by a triangular light with angled glazing bars to the attic storey, the top of which slightly breaks the eaves line. The S wing is a low 2-storey 4-window range; slate roof with rendered brick stacks slightly offset to the right (N) and at the S gable. The principal elevation facing E, all the windows are 6-pane casements of 2, 3 and 4 lights with tile lintels and sills, the first floor windows set directly under the eaves; the half glazed doorway is between the 2nd and 3rd windows in the range. At the E end of the S gable return roughly dressed stone steps lead to a doorway to the first floor. The W wall of the S wing has a catslide roof which carries on down over lean-to additions, the first floor with flat roofed dormers. There is a doorway offset to the right (S) end which leads on to the courtyard, windows are a mix of 4 and 6-pane casements of 1, 2 and 3 lights; to the N end of the W wall is an exposed rubble masonry arch partly filled in with brick and with a 3-light casement window.  

The house has been subdivided in the mid C20, the S wing with ground and first floor flats, the main house to the N has been partitioned off and retains late C19 and early C20 character. The entrance to the principal range of the main house leads in to the hallway, there is a C18 dog-leg staircase to the first floor with a shaped, ramped handrail on turned balusters and newel, and an open string with closed fretwork and scrolled brackets. The staircase to the attic floor has shaped splat balusters. The ground floor rooms have oak panelling which may date from the early C18, sitting room to the rear (S) with a large chamfered bressumer over the fireplace; the 'long sitting room' to the N with a huge stone fire place, the massive stone lintel with a shallow elliptically arched and chamfered soffit, the jambs are chamfered and the chimney breast above bears a blank shield, simple floriate designs around and the date 1667 inscribed at the top. Some of the first floor rooms have timber framed wattle and daub walls, one bedroom with huge rough hewn beams and moulded plaster ceiling. Many contain cast iron regency fireplaces and grates and the bathrooms retain late C19 fittings. The attic storey bedrooms also retain the cast iron fireplaces, one with a well detailed moulded and floriate surround. Oak panelled doors throughout.  

Listed as an exceptionally well-detailed gentry house which forms the nucleus of a small estate. The fortunes of the estate are reflected in the development of the hall which retains a variety of architectural features from each stage in its history.