Glasfryn House

Glasfryn House

Glasfryn House is a Tudor-gothic style building with vernacular references, built of stone with slated roofs. It comprises 2 tall storeys and attics, organised as a main range running north-east to south-west, a block at right angles at the north-east end which probably contains some earlier work identified by its stonework, and a stair tower.

The entrance front faces a gravelled yard and is constructed of snecked rock-faced stone with freestone dressings. It is asymmetrical, featuring a gabled block on the right containing an arched main entrance with a fine multi-panelled door, extended to the left as a single storey projection with a flat roof and parapet. Behind, the stair tower has a large 4-light mullioned and transomed window and a 2-light mullioned window above. A moulded string course with blocked corbel features forms the base of a crenellated parapet, with a higher stair tower in one corner. On the tower face is a clock bearing the initials RG WE and the date 1898. To the left of the tower, the building continues for 3 bays in small knapped black stone, with a high-pitched slate roof ending in a coped gable and a large 4-flue stack. Repeating timber mullioned and transomed windows occur on the ground floor, with mullioned only windows to the upper floor. This front continues as a high wall separating the front garden from the yard, connected by a large arched opening.

The garden front is also asymmetrical, with paired gables to the left. An entrance in the right-hand gable is advanced from the stair tower. The main range is expressed as a triple gabled block recessed to the right, with 3 single storey gabled wings advanced from it. The porch has a freestone lower stage in the form of an early Elizabethan revival arch between pilasters, with a triglyph and shields frieze and pinnacled parapet. A central coat of arms is displayed. The first floor contains a 3-light mullioned window with leaded glass and a single narrower light in the coped gable. To the left is an advanced gable with mullioned windows—4-light to the ground floor, diminishing to 3-light and 2-light in the attic gable. To the right are 3 rendered and gabled single storey structures, the outer two bearing the date 1931 on a hopper head. Behind the three gabled structures are three steeply pitched gables of the original range. Many stone chimneys are present, their tops finished in freestone with side vents under a slab cornice.

The through hallway from the garden front porch door is panelled and opens on the right to an impressive dining room, built in a single storey gabled section on the garden front. The dining room is panelled in oak, some dating to the 17th century, and was extended in 1932. It has an open 2-bay raftered roof with a central truss. At the rear of the hallway stands a late 19th century open well stair with a close balustered handrail based on a section of rail at the top landing believed to originate from an early 18th century communion table of Bangor Cathedral. Lighting the stair is the 4-light window, which contains yellow-stained roundels of 16th century Flemish glass with armorial devices relating to the life of Sir Richard Clough, probably originating from Bachegraig, the house built in Flintshire by Sir Richard Clough in 1567, and brought here around 1831.

To the left of the hallway is the drawing room, featuring an elaborate dentilled cornice and a fine oak strapwork chimney piece with a portrait of Sir Richard Clough above. The fireplace itself is lined with figured Delft-type tiles of the 17th century. Dado panelling is present, with the top frieze containing remarkable detailed Biblical scenes in finely worked alabaster. In the porch are heavy beam sections bearing carved elementary vine scroll, probably 16th century.

The far north-east end is now divided off as a separate flat.