8499

 

II*  

Designated  

16/02/1990  

19/11/1990  

Plas Machynlleth  

 

Powys  

Machynlleth  

 

 

274558  

300555  

 

To S of the town centre. Set in its own grounds.  

Domestic  

 

A building of multiple periods. The date l653 to the main (E) front relates to the original house - then known as Greenfields. Remodelled ca l770 creating the present entrance block and then enlarged probably in early Cl9 with the addition of the Gothick range to S. It became known as Plas Machynlleth under Sir John Edwards and then further remodelled in l850s by Earl and Countess Vane (who in l872 inherited the Londonderry title) by the addition of wings to the front. The Plas has been in civic ownership since l948, and now houses community council offices.  

Mainly 3-storey with scribed render elevations. Bathstone dressings and hipped slate roofs with boarded eaves; stone chimney stacks, one cut down to the front. Almost symmetrical main front. The later Cl8 4-window block to centre has pediment (with datestone) flanked by high parapet; cill bands to both floors. Sash windows with shouldered architraves; cornices to lst floor; tall sashes without glazing bars to ground floor extending to plinth level. Simple 4-panel door to 3rd bay. The ground floor was probably remodelled at the time when the Ionic colonnade was added with balustrade, dentil cornice and shallow entablature. Small pane sashes to the side elevations of this block including, to right (N), a round arched headed window with label and unusual architrave with volutes. To the rear of these sides are 2-window projecting ranges, that to S has some painted slate hanging. Screening the view down the side elevations are the l850's single storey 2-window wings, slightly set back from the main entrance block. These have small pane sash windows with detached pediments and parapets with acroteria to ends. The left hand wing is terminated in a deep bow with pilasters and cornice and sashes with marginal glazing bars. At the end of the right hand wing are two polygonal corner bays. On S side, in the angle with the long Gothick range is a lean-to over broad loading doors. At the corner of the wing there is evidence of the former conservatory that formerly ran along this side. Stepped forward is the 4-window S range with mostly broad 4-centred arch metal-frame windows; some coloured glass to the heads. l sash window stepped up over round arched recess now containing a water pump. Gable end to W is slate hung and set back below is a short 2-storey range with l small Gothick window to lst floor. The 2-window gable end of this range is also slate hung above ground floor. The rear of the S range overlooking the narrow (formerly roofed) yard is rubble with roughcast render. Some small pane sashes and one 4-light Gothick window to right; 6-panel door to centre and fire stairs rise to a Gothick door. Similar detail to rear of main block. To N lies the lower service range with 2-storey 4-bay rubble elevation to the yard; stepped up towards the junction with the main block. The rear of this range is red brick with gables to the 4-window lower part. The courtyard is closed by a later brick wall and the area to N is enclosed by a short rubble wall extending as far as the boundary wall; square gate piers with low caps.  

The low entrance hall is created out of the combined 2 main rooms of the Cl8 house. Adamesque detail to plaster ceilings; oval foliage garland around rose to right and circular rose to left; anthemion, egg and dart and dentil cornice and similar detail to the panelled piers carrying the main beams which have Adamesque panelled soffits. Chimneypieces are in similar style. The left hand ground floor room was the drawing room and is in French Empire style. Fine white marble chimneypiece with tapered terms. Heavily gilded ceiling including 3 panels with fan motifs to corners; wreathed entablature. The right hand wing contained the dining room, now the Council Chamber with modern murals by Jack Crabtree. The old library was to rear; now an office but retains 2 glazed Gothick cupboard doors. Cl8 dog-leg staircase with turned balusters, S-shaped tread ends, swept up hand rail and fluted newel. Pointed arch to top of landing. The lst floor has quatrefoil panelled reveals and colonnettes to doorcases. One room (perhaps formerly the principal bedroom) has coved and ribbed ceiling rising to circular rose; quatrefoil doorcase, nook shafts to window and gilded foliage trails to cornice. Pointed arches to landing. The N side of the house has classical not Gothick detail with lugged architraves to 6-panel doors. Main bedroom on this side is over the balcony and has dentil cornice with thin egg and dart detail; the inner side of the door is quatrefoil panelled suggesting that it has been reused. The lst floor billiard room in the lower courtyard range has Mannerist detail with fluted pilasters stopping short of the coved cornice and with entablature only over the pilasters; panelled dado. One room on the S side has a plaque to commemorate the stay of the Princess of Wales in l896.