A medieval and later mansion. This is one of several apparently unfortified mansions or courts in Merioneth associated with castle mounds, for example Castell Prysor (NPRN 308964) and Rug (NPRN 306598).

Associated with: Castle Mound (NPRN 306558)
Park, grounds and gardens (NPRN 265134).


Gentry house with late medieval origins, presence of a motte indicating an earlier medieval defensive origin. Formerly the seat of the lloyds of Crogen, recorded as owned by Morgan Lloyd in 1639, though in the hands of Maurice Wynn, receiver General of North Wales by 1649. House retains the solar/parlour wing of the late medieval house, which was probably originally timber-framed and encased in stone in the late 16th/early 17th century. Painting of 1792 shows the house prior to it being largely rebuilt in the Gothic style c1831. This shows a large 14th century ecclesiastical window incorporated into the solar, apparently representing post-Dissolution salvaging.

The house is of irregular hall and cross-wing plan, with asymmetrical facades, and further service ranges to the rear loosely enclose a courtyard. The buildings are of local irregular stone construction with traces of former render, and with slate roofs with plain bargeboards. The main (east) wing is two and a half storeys with a gable entrance to the front. This has a wooden 19th century Gothic window with cusped lights, stucco surround and simple label, which forms a pair of French windows above which is a similar, but smaller paned window. These infill an opening that was originally a single tall window opening, of which the pointed arch upper section remains. It is early 14th century and of sandstone with high quality cusped lights, originally ecclesiatical.

The cross wings east elevation has two large lateral chimney stacks, the right hand one having an arched window inserted at ground floor level. Between the two is an arched French window to ground floor with two pointed-arch lights and multi-pane lights.

Flush with this wing is a two storey porch extension with an entrance with part glazed doors and geometric glazing to the margins. There is a two light window to the first floor with intersecting tracery lights and small pane glazing with a stucco surround and label. To the left of the porch are two further bays with French windows with cusped heads to the ground floors, while the first floors have to the left a 2-light window with lozenge glazing and to the right a 4-light window with simpler cusping to the heads. Left bay is gabled and has a broad storeyed, canted bay projecting to its western return.

Set back against the rear gable of the cross-wing is another two storey building, and in the angle between this and the cross-wing is a lean-to porch with acanted Gothic bay with French windows as before. To the north of the rear block is a single storey service range with a whitened inner elevatio facing a small slate flagged court. To the north are two store buildings, adjoining which at right angles is a rectangular single storey range. This partly encloses a cobbled courtyard on its north side, which leads out to a further flagged yard to the rear of the main range. Closing this courtyard on the west side is a large three storey service range with a three bay yard elevation with a whitened ground floor. The west side has a full height, central canted bay which projects into a narrow gravelled yard defined by sloping revettment walls.

The interior has a small entrance hall with a pointed arch doorway to a stairwell beyond, and with a polychrome tiled floor of 19th century date. Dining room has sandstone fireplace in Perpendicular style with pierced quatrefoil occuli and a cusped, latticed frieze. The moulded cornice has foliate bosses. The main cornice of the room is Gothic with intersecting tracery, and there are blind-tracery architraves and 7-panelled doors, shutters and reveals. The stairwell is narrow and full height, with a swept mahogany rail and cast iron Gothic ogee balusters. The first floor medieval solar was originally open to the roof and was of four bays. ONe truss is visible being a shallow pointed arch with moulded principles.

(source: Cadw listing description) S Fielding RCAHMW 30/06/2005