Photo: Nantclwyd y Dre by Arwel Parry, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Nantclwyd y Dre began as a weaver's hall house in 1435 on Castle Street in Ruthin, Denbighshire.
It is one of the oldest timber-framed townhouses in Wales and a Grade I listed building.
Over subsequent centuries it became a lawyer's townhouse in the 17th century and then a Victorian girls' school.
The house sits at the top of Ruthin's hill with the Lord's Garden behind it, offering views towards the Clwydian Range and Ruthin Castle.
Inside, the rooms are presented as a sequence of seven distinct historical periods, each revealing how the building and its uses evolved across nearly six centuries.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
The house grew in stages across nearly six centuries, moving from a medieval hall house to a lawyer's residence and later a school for young girls. A major restoration programme uncovered and preserved these successive layers, and the house is now presented room by room as a sequence of seven distinct historical periods rather than a single fixed date in time.
Architecture
The timber frame at the core of the building dates from 1435, making it one of the oldest surviving examples of its type in Wales, and later additions in brick and stone reflect its later use as a townhouse and school.
Worth knowing
Lesser horseshoe bats use the roof as a maternity roost, and visitors can watch them on a live bat cam inside the house.
Gardens & grounds
The Lord's Garden is a quiet walled space behind the house, with views towards the Clwydian Range and Ruthin Castle.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Carrog (Llangollen Railway) (9.1 miles)
Nearby properties
Derwen Cross
View Derwen Cross on heritage mapDenbigh Town Walls
View Denbigh Town Walls on heritage mapDenbigh Castle
View Denbigh Castle on heritage mapLeicester's Church (remains)
View Leicester's Church (remains) on heritage mapSt Hilary's Chapel
View St Hilary's Chapel on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 10 miles of Nantclwyd y Dre there are 10 historic properties, including 3 historic buildings, 2 chapels and 2 historic houses, across Cadw and Historic Houses sites.
Within 20 miles of Nantclwyd y Dre there are 36 historic properties, including 9 historic houses, 6 historic buildings and 4 Defences, across Cadw, Historic Houses and English Heritage sites.
Facts
A medieval weaver's hall house told as seven distinct ages, with a bat roost thrown in.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- Denbighshire, Wales
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