Gorphwysfa (former Conservative Club)

Gorphwysfa, formerly a Conservative Club, is a Grade II* listed building of complex medieval and later origins. The house comprises a short main central range, set back slightly between an advanced medieval crosswing to the right and a 17th-century block to the left. The exterior is lined-out rendered throughout, with slate roofs. The main range features a renewed brick stack offset to the left, with eaves that project down to form a lean-to porch.

The entrance bay within the porch has been slightly altered and consists of double boarded doors beneath a three-pane overlight, flanked by side-lights with gothic and quarry glazing, all set under a long decorative cornice with brattishing, probably brought from elsewhere. Above the cornice sits timber-framing with arched panels and quatrefoils, with box-panels flanking the doorway. A skylight pierces the main roof pitch above.

The gabled front of the storeyed crosswing to the right displays two-light small-pane wooden casements to each storey. The remodelled 17th-century block to the left has a modillion eaves cornice, probably of 19th-century date, and a plat band. The windows are four-pane sashes in moulded surrounds, with a gabled attic dormer containing a two-light wooden casement. The render continues for a short distance to the left-hand return, after which early brickwork is exposed on the south side, with plinth, plat band and later cornice continuing. This wall displays a number of former windows with segmental brick heads, all blocked in brick. A small light with gothic quarry glazing is present, with a small four-pane casement above. At the far left stands a rendered panel with two casement windows having frosted glass, and a similar window above.

To the rear, the gable end of the south block has eaves swept down to the right, with a two-light window with gothic glazing to the first floor and a further two-light window to the attic. A single-storey rendered block adjoins the ground floor. The central range has been cut by the south block and consists of one-and-a-half gables, slightly set back, with a rear entrance under a lean-to porch. The gabled wing to the left features an end stack, with a later single-storey range adjoining beneath.

The interior begins with an open entrance hall with a gallery opposite. The woodwork is a modern composition but includes a quatrefoil frieze reused from elsewhere. The medieval crosswing to the right is a three-unit structure. The upper storey of the front and central units retains trusses with cambered tie-beams and collars, the former supported by substantial curved braces. Curved wind-braces sit beneath the purlins. The upper storey is reached by a 20th-century flight of stairs leading up to the central bay. The ground floor of the central bay has a late 17th-century ceiling with medium-chamfered spine-beams and plain joists. The rear unit was partly remodelled in the 17th century and contains a small brick fireplace, though wattle and daub infill has been found here.

To the left of the entrance hall, the character is 17th-century. Back-to-back fireplaces serve the front and rear rooms, both with cast iron firebacks bearing insignia of Charles I, though these are not believed to be authentic. The rear dining room has a large segmental-arched fireplace of chamfered red sandstone voussoirs, possibly reused from the castle, with a bake-oven to the rear. The room is panelled.

Large cellars, formerly service rooms, retain late 17th-century detail: substantial stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops, a large fireplace to the south-west with cambered timber lintel, and a fireplace stair on its right-hand side. Former cellar windows to the front are now infilled. The upper storey contains rooms with stop-chamfered spine beams. The attic of the south room has pegged tie-beam trusses with collars, probably of early 19th-century date, with hip-rafters at the corners.