Glynllifon

Glynllifon is a neoclassical three-storey stone mansion with an attached lower service courtyard to the west. The main elevation faces south. The building is constructed of stone with rendered elevations under a slate roof, with rendered chimney stacks topped by moulded cornices and an Italianate water tank.

The symmetrical thirteen-bay main block is dominated by a central hexastyle pedimented portico. This feature has a first-floor balustraded loggia with Ionic Mona marble columns over an arcaded ground-floor entrance. Either side of the portico, the front is divided into paired bays flanked by pilasters that rise from a deep first-floor sill band ornamented with Greek fret pattern. The panelled parapet is crowned by statuary, with Mercury at the pediment apex. Within the first-floor loggia are statues of the four seasons. The first-floor windows to the side bays have bracketed pediments, and the emphasis given to the first floor follows the Palladian piano nobile tradition. Below this level, the pilasters have wreaths over panelled dies. The central ground-floor bays are arcaded with an impost band and a bracketed iron porte-cochère serving the circular drive. Windows throughout are nine- and twelve-pane sashes, except at the centre where they are four-pane to the first floor and French windows at the entrance.

The adjoining service courtyard has a continuous south elevation of ten two-storey bays and a three-storey pavilion block at the west end. The Greek fret pattern sill band continues from the main block, and similar pilasters break up the façade into a 2+3+3+2 design. Twelve-pane sashes are used throughout, with bracketed pediments repeated only over the first-floor windows in the end block. The parapet of the two-storey part is crowned by urns, while the four corners of the three-storey end block have eagles, a popular motif for the Wynn family.

The east elevation, facing up the vista below Coed y Terrace, comprises 2+5+2 bays. The outer bays are projected and all have similar detail. A doorway opens onto the axial corridor in the angle. Beyond this, stepped up the hillside, is the deep conservatory with tall all-round windows. A parallel flight of stone steps provides access.

To the west is the large kitchen courtyard, entered from the west under a semicircular arched and tunnel-vaulted gateway. The arches have keystones, ramped bases, and double gates, and the roadway is laid in setts. The rectangular courtyard has a lean-to pentice with Ionic iron columns, and the elevations have mostly six- and nine-pane sash windows, some blocked. At the south-east corner is a grand pedimented portico said to have been salvaged from the ruins of the 18th-century house. It has paired Doric columns under a triglyph frieze and a modern door in a semicircular arched doorway. The right-hand (south) side has pilasters and a datestone inscribed FGW 1890, indicating remodelling of this area by the Honourable F G Wynn soon after he inherited the estate (but not the title) in 1888. There is also a rainwater head dated 1889 within the quadrangular light well. At the south-west corner is a relocated ornate iron lampstandard. The left-hand (north) side retains some fabric from the 18th-century house.

At the rear is the game larder, which was incorporated into the present house at the time of the rebuilding. It is a circular stuccoed stone building with lime-washed brick. Beneath it is the former ice pit, which was also accessed from the high-level path that runs behind the house, where there is a hatch.

The main entrance is to the south, opening onto a grand classical hall with a tetrastyle screen of Ionic marble columns in front of the central staircase. Other details include egg and dart cornices, panelled shutters, and a marble chimneypiece with recessed Ionic columns. The axial corridor runs in front of the stairs, with doors recessed within panelled segmental archways to either side. There is a fine cantilevered imperial stone staircase with a scrolled wooden handrail over an iron balustrade of paired uprights in the manner of palm trees, with S-shaped tread ends. The stairs are lit by a fine neoclassical pedimented tripartite window at the half landing, enriched by black marble columns and stained glass. This window is described by Mostyn Lewis as the largest of its kind in North Wales, and the design suggests it was probably made by David Evans.

The main rooms of the house retain fine marble fireplaces, gilded cornices, and mahogany doors with ebony beading to the panels.

To the right were the morning room, library, and dining room. The axial corridor runs under a further archway with a reeded pilastered architrave towards the doorway on the east elevation. The morning room to the south was entered directly from the entrance hall. It retains a fine white marble fireplace with floral carving around a classical scene and an ornate cornice. The adjacent former library (now Room 1) retains a black marble volute-bracketed chimneypiece and a neoclassical fire grate. This room also has an ornate gold-leaf anthemion cornice. The doorway to the former dining room opposite has an architrave with a deeply bracketed cornice. This room was not accessible at the time of inspection but is recorded as having two marble columns in antis and a grey marble fireplace with twin Ionic columns, characteristic of the Glynllifon fireplaces. Between this and the main hall, the passage returns to the rear with a modillion cornice, a semicircular arched doorway with a half-glazed door and fanlight. Beyond that is the service corridor leading to the kitchens and central light well, which returns to join the western arm of the main axial corridor. A branch of this service corridor leads to what is now the staff office but was probably originally the housekeeper's office, which has yet another variation on the theme of the anthemion cornice. The western arm of the main corridor formerly led to the smoking room and office. It retains similar archways and doors with fanlights, and at its western end opens onto the kitchen courtyard, although the main doorway from this is that with the pedimented portico at the south-east corner.

The staircase balustrade continues along the first-floor landing, with an ornate modillion cornice and ceiling rose. There is a finely carved corniced architrave to the central room and semicircular arched doorways to either end opening onto the first-floor axial corridor. The principal room is that at the centre, which was formerly the grand drawing room in the piano nobile manner of the kind the Newboroughs would have seen on their long travels in Italy. This room became known as the organ room after the addition in 1892 of the Walker and Son two-manual organ at the east end. The long five-window elevation opens onto the loggia with the statues of the four seasons. The fine ceiling has a central rose surrounded by anthemions within an octagonal and rectangular border (the chandelier is missing). This and the anthemion frieze and console-bracketed cornice are highly gilded. There is a bracket-pedimented doorcase with a broad panelled door. The unusual white marble chimneypiece has paired and panelled octagonal columns and Corinthian-derived capitals. The character is almost as if they were designed for cast iron and executed in marble. A good arched grate is retained, along with a contemporary rococo mirrored overmantel, though altered to the base, and gilded pelmets.

To the east are the principal apartments, including two rooms over the morning room and library. The former has a fine cornice with lions' heads. The former main bedroom (now the library) is over the dining room and occupies the central part of the east elevation at this level, overlooking one of the main vistas. This retains a fine ceiling with gilded ornament including a central rose, triglyph frieze, and floral metopes, as well as gilded rococo curtain rails. There is a similar white marble Ionic chimneypiece to that in the organ room, with an especially good glazed tile fireplace featuring nymphs, swags, iron grate, and brass surround, a beaded mantel, and a rococo over-mirror. Bracket-pedimented doorcases to both sides have enriched architraves and broad six-panel doors opening onto two short corridors off the longer north-south corridor. The latter retains a particularly fine pedimented doorway with Ionic columns, half-glazed coloured glass doors, and a painted glass fanlight of particular interest. This again reflects the family's interest in things Italian, as the scene is reminiscent of Lago Maggiore. This corridor also gives access to the staircase to the second floor, which is a miniature version of the main stairs, being also of cantilevered imperial type and lit by a stained glass window.

At the west end of the first floor is the former billiard room, more recently converted into a dormitory. It is a lofty two-storey room with a precipitous gallery around three sides reached by steep, narrow stairs. The gallery is carried on pendant brackets, and the gallery front has Ionic columns. There is a ceiling rose and egg and dart cornice.

Glynllifon has vast vaulted cellars characteristic of a major country house. There are eight in-line chambers under the full length of the house and a further two transverse chambers at each end. There is also a further parallel chamber at the east end under the conservatory. Blocked doors suggest there were once yet more chambers. Brick vaults are used throughout with rubble walls. In addition to these cellars for boilers, coal, and other non-perishable needs, there were separate food cellars accessed from the central quadrangular light well. These consist of seven brick-vaulted and slate-flagged chambers off an L-shaped corridor. Many retain original doors and shelving.