A seventeenth century house built within the walls of a Roman fort (NPRN 95436).
The mansion or plas, of the Vaughans, who held the office of High Sheriff of Merionnydd six times between 1613 and 1708. The house is thought to have been built in the late sixteenth century, but, following sacking in 1645, it was extensively restored, possibly entirely rebuilt, in 1650. It was again restored in the nineteenth century when the windows were renewed and the internal partitions were replaced(?).
This is a near H-plan house, of two storeys with attics, built of local stone rubble under renewed slate gabled roofs. It faces north-east where it presents a near symmetrical facade. The central block has a central doorway with two tiers of windows to either side and is crowned by a large two window gabled dormer. The rather unequal flanking wings are both two bays wide with single attic windows in their gables. A variety of inscriptions are set in the walls, some in Latin and some in Welsh, some in verse and some appear to be quite recent.
The central block would have contained the hall, with the main appartments in the north-west wing. The south-east wing, which has a massive chimney stack at the rear, probably housed the kitchen and other offices. The one and a half storey washhouse and brewhouse, adjoining on the south, may originally have been built in the seventeenth century.
The grounds and gardens associated with the house appear to have taken up the whole of the fort enclosure (see NPRN 406900).

Sources: NMR Site File
CADW Listed Buildings Database (4683, 24708)

John Wiles 02.11.07