Cochwillan Old Hall

A domestic building may have stood on the site of Cochwillan in the 13th century, but the present house is not earlier than 1450; it was probably built by William ap Gryffydd, who fought for Henry VII at Bosworth and was rewarded in 1485 by being appointed Sheriff of Caernarfonshire for life.

Apart from a brief interlude in the 17th Century the house has always been part of, or linked by family ties with, the Penrhyn Estate and in it's prime was celebrated for it's splendour and it's hospitality.

It is thought that Cochwillan ceased to be used for domestic purposes about 1870, after which it became increasingly occupied as a farm building and was wholely being used for farm purposes in 1961 when serious consideration began to be given to the possibility of restoration.

The glory of Cochwillan is the Hall, now restored to it's original size, 37 feet by 21 feet, and consisting of three bays with an additional half bay at the East end, at which end a dais stood. No attempt has been made to reproduce the floor of the Hall in it's original form of stone or slate flags, instead a waterproof membrane and a wood floor was introduced for greater comfort; at the same time the roof was rehung with slates of a pattern approximating more closely to the original.

The most striking feature of the Hall is the roof of three bays divided by trusses of hammer-beam type. The moulded hammer-beams have embattled crests and plain ends with pinholes in them; as these probably originally carried carved heads or heraldic shields, new shields have been fitted to harmonize with the ancestry of the old families of Cochwillan.

General Information:

• Visitors must book in advance
• Short talk and guided tour given
• Tea and a traditional Welsh fruit bread can be provided if booked in advance