604

 

II  

Designated  

20/10/1952  

23/10/2003  

Llangedwyn Hall  

 

Powys  

Llangedwyn  

 

Llangedwyn  

318903  

324354  

 

Reached by a formal drive at the north side of the B4396, opposite St Cedwyn's Church.  

Domestic  

 

Llangedwyn Hall was one of the important houses of the Llansilin vicinity mentioned in the Llyfr Silin of the late C17 (as Plas Newydd). Plas Newydd is traced back traditionally to the early C16. The house may have grown to its full three-wing E-plan in the Elizabethan or Jacobean period; it survived in this form down to the mid C20. Hubbard suggests the central and east wings of the house were the oldest part. In 1718 the three-wing house, then a red-brick mansion, passed from Sir Edward Vaughan to his son-in-law Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet. It was probably at this period that it acquired its axial avenue and formal gardens, shown with numerous small inaccuracies in a painting of c.1728. At this time the main entrance was at the extremity of the central wing. Baker in 1893 described Llangedwyn as a fine mansion with much interesting C18 work, but did not live to publish his information. The house has remained with the Williams Wynn family since, although secondary to Wynnstay and rarely occupied as a family home; Lewis in 1833 called it an 'occasional residence'. A noted visitor to Llangedwyn Hall in about 1820 was the Poet Laureate, Southey, at a time when it was the home of his friend Charles Williams Wynn MP. A long service range at left, at a slight angle, is shown in the painting of c.1728, but, if the painting is correct, detached; by the early C19 a link section with surprisingly thick walls was in place uniting it to the west wing. The house was reduced in the mid-C20 by the removal of everything east of the central wing, at the east side of which a new main entrance was formed in 1959. Some interior features of the demolished part were relocated.  

A large house of 2½ storeys consisting of a main range and two forward wings, rendered, with timber cornice and truncated pediments to the gable ends of the wings. Slate roofs with stone ridges. One mid-chimney on the main range; lateral chimneys to west of both forward wings and to north of the main range. The east elevation to the lawn is now the main front. Six window range with windows irregularly spaced. Restored 12-pane sash windows above and below; the doorway (1959) in the fourth bay, with Tuscan columns and rounded floorless pediment. Arms and date in pediment. Three mid-height leaded-casement gabled dormers. The south elevation is the original front, the right of the remaining two wings having been the centre wing of an E plan. These forward wings have at front a restored 12-pane sash window above, a 16 pane similar below. The left wing pediment has a two-light attic casement window, the right wing pediment has a large sundial. Overlooking the enclosed courtyard the left wing appears as a five window range (all 12-pane sash windows) with two dormers; the main range is of four similar windows; there is a hipped extruded staircase corner at the angle with the right wing; a single similar window and a lateral chimney to the right wing. A long service range extends out at the west side. It is rendered, roofed in slate and angled slightly back. This range has a taller gabled wing at right forming a link to the house, with a clock in the apex. Two 24-pane sash windows above, segmental arch headed windows below. The rest of the service part is an irregular nine-window range with casement windows above and cross-windows below. The roof appears to be of M type.  

In the adaptation of the house following the demolition of the east wing many internal alterations were carried out; best rooms sympathetically redesigned. The house contains two good staircases: a well staircase at the junction of the west wing, ex situ, with some reuse of Jacobean wainscot and a much repaired early C18 staircase in the extruded corner at left of what was the central (and is now the east) wing.  

An important house retaining features of its C17/18 character notwithstanding partial demolition, and the focus of much coherent garden and ancillary construction.