848

15  

II  

Designated  

16/05/1978  

12/07/2006  

NO.15 CASTLE STREET,,,,,CLWYD,  

15 Castle Street  

Denbighshire  

Ruthin  

Ruthin  

 

312389  

358161  

 

Located on the N corner of Castle Street and Record Street.  

Domestic  

 

A late medieval cruck-framed hall-house. Part of an internal truss survives upstairs, a cruck blade with cambered tie-beam mortised and tenoned into the inner side of the post; a small fragment of a similar post and joint was seen downstairs during building work. Further evidence from the building work suggested that the fireplaces were inserted later, probably in the C17, along with box-panelling with wattle and daub infill. The house was re-fronted, probably in the late C18, and the ceilings are probably contemporary. Yr Iwerddon was a Public House, the only one in Ruthin with a Welsh name, probably referring to Irish drovers who stayed here while purchasing stock. There is a Georgian bay to the rear, probably the former bar, and the staircase may be of this date. There was a wide opening to the R of the front entrance, possibly for a coach-bay or stable.  

Three-window range of one-and-a-half storeys, roughcast under a slate roof with tall end stacks, brick to L and stone raised in brick to R. Wing to rear with higher eaves, facing Record Street. Main elevation has wooden cross-windows with narrow glazing bars, containing quarries. The upper storey windows are under gabled half-dormers with moulded barge boards and finials. Doorway offset to R, between central and R-hand windows; panelled door with 4-pane overlight, under a segmental slated hood on curved decorative brackets. Full-height shallow buttress to R end. South gable end, returning to Record Street, is 2-window, the small windows with diagonally-set timber mullions, recently renewed. To R, bowed front to rear wing with tripartite sash to ground and 12-pane hornless sash to upper storey. Rear has 3-light casement with quarries to R of upper storey, flat-roofed conservatory below; late C20 2-storey block on its L. Rear wing is adjoined by No 1 Record Street.  

Two-unit house with direct entry into smaller R-hand unit. This has a small fireplace to R end with timber lintel, and a box-framed partition towards centre. The ceiling is probably C18, with relatively small shallow-chamfered cross-beams, and wide joists. Adjacent to the upper R-hand corner of the entrance is a small fragment of a cruck blade, containing a large mortise. The L-hand room has a large fireplace offset to R with long cambered timber lintel and small triangular niche to L-hand reveal, possibly for salt; plaster was found behind it suggesting the fireplace is a later insertion. The N wall is box-panelled with wattle and daub infill. Stone stairs to rear R corner leading down to cellars; that beneath main range has large medium-chamfered cross-beam and cobbled floor; further cellar under Georgian room, white-washed and with external opening to S, probably for beer barrels. Straight stair to upper storey, inserted along rear wall, has plain balusters and newels, and moulded handrail. Rear wing has a large bow fronting Record Street, and a small classical-style fireplace to rear wall. Added to rear L is a flat-roofed conservatory of the 1960s. Upstairs, to N gable end, fragments of box-panelling with wattle and daub infill. Partition retains part of a cruck blade towards front wall, with a low cambered tie-beam mortised into its side, a collar and vertical struts.  

Listed for its special interest as a late medieval cruck-framed town-house, clearly showing its development in the C17 and C18, and retaining good detail. On a corner site, making a valuable contribution to the historic townscape.