History

Built 1878 (date on hopper heads) as house for agent to Penrhyn Estate, at that time Captain Pennant Lloyd, a use in which it remained until the Second World War. It is now a residential home for the elderly, run by Gwynedd County Council. Pennant Lloyd was agent of the estate during the strike of 1874, resolved by the so-called Pennant Lloyd Agreement. Plas y Coed replaced Lime Grove, a classical villa of "chasteness and technical" purity, itsef built by Samuel Wyatt for the agent to the Penrhyn Estate a century before.

Exterior

Heavy High Victorian Gothic-style building, the main range of 2 storeys and attics aligned east-west with entrance front on north. Irregularly coursed rubblestone with Anglesey limestone tooled ashlar quoins and dressings, the main stonework on the south front (except for the right gable) rock-faced; slate roof with coped verges, gabled kneelers and stone crosses to apexes. North front is an essentially asymmetrical composition of 2:1:1:1:3:2 bays, that to the left of the 3-bay section and the outer 2 bays taking the form of full-height gables, that to right considerably projecting. Fenestration virtually entirely of 2- or 4-paned sashes in stone surrounds, some surrounds forming mullioned and transomed windows, others simply to paired windows; entrance is through recessed 9-panel door in Tudor-arched doorway with overlight immediately to left of inner gable; dummy balcony with balustrade directly above. Trefoil-shaped window to attic of inner gable and 2 gabled dormers breaking eaves in 3-bay section. Chimneys are another significant feature, gable ends of outer gables with semi-external stacks plus 5 irregularly spaced stacks to ridges or roof slope elsewhere, all tall with quoins and moulded capping, some with pierced quatrefoils. Cast-iron hopper heads dated "1878". South (garden) front is similar in style but of more ordered form in 2:2:1:3:1 bays, that to the left of the 3-bay section and the outer bays again taking the form of full-height gables. Right gable has 2-storey canted bay window with sloped slab roof, and prominent external lateral stack to right; slate-roofed verandah immediately to left has 3 timberwork trefoil arches over 3 tall French windows with single horizontal glazing bars. Left gable has truncated end stack with C20 fire escape abutting right return.

Interior

Large dog-leg staircase in hall has 2 pointed arches with painted floral capitals to lower flight, which has panelling to sides; hall itself with encaustic tile floor and original fireplace. Principal ground-floor rooms on south, facing garden, both with cornices, one room (the dining room), now sub-divided and the larger (the former drawing room) on east also with elaborate classical-style fireplace; 6-panelled doors.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a large high Victorian house retaining much of its original character intact and illustrative of the architectural tastes of the Penrhyn Estate at this period.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29500510

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)