50 Buildings that Built Wales, 2016

50 Buildings Tell the Story of Wales’ Past
50 Buildings that Built Wales by Mark Baker, Greg Stevenson with photographs by David Wilson
Published by Graffeg on 25 November,
Hardback £25, 216pp, ISBN 9781905582808

The history of Wales in 50 landmark buildings, spanning more than 800 years, will be revealed in a new book published this November. 50 Buildings that Built Wales explores the idea of identity as expressed through a nation’s ‘bricks and mortar’, considering the industry, culture and language of Wales and the way in which these have all come together to form the Wales we know today.
Written by architectural historians Dr Mark Baker and Dr Greg Stevenson, with photographs by noted Welsh photographer David Wilson, this rich book is filled with the stories of the people who helped make these buildings so iconic.
• Discover the beginnings of industrial Wales, and the economic boom that followed;
• How Welsh culture has travelled all over the world;
• Protests that have helped preserve the Welsh language;
• How a little building in the valleys changed the face of British healthcare forever.
The book is also filled with trivia such as when and where the world’s first £1million cheque was made; what secret ingredient makes the bricks of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct red; where Doctor Who’s weeping angels come from; and where the Bible was first translated into Welsh.
Buildings include: Llandudno Promenade; Gwrych Castle; Cathays Park, Cardiff; St Davids Cathedral, Pembrokeshire; Caernarfon Castle and the Industrial Terraces of Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Mark Baker says ‘The diverse built heritage of Wales is captured here with 50 buildings that show the development of an intricate and highly cultivated cultural heritage. Some of the sites included are personal to us as authors, but we felt that they illustrate the breadth of architectural history and buildings archaeology that Wales is famed for.’
Greg Stevenson says ‘People often incorrectly assume that Britain is architecturally homogenous. It isn’t, but I developed this book idea to reflect some of the characters that have formed the history of Wales and her sense of nationhood. Not every building in this book is uniquely Welsh, but each has a fascinating story to tell. I hope that readers will enjoy dipping in and out of this book – think of it a little like having a dinner party where you meet fifty of Wales’ greatest historical characters, but each of them is a building.’
David Wilson says ‘As a photographer who strives to include buildings in their landscape work the prospect of producing a book of such iconic structures was irresistible. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding project.’
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Dr Mark Baker is an architectural historian based in Wales. He read History and Archaeology at Bangor University, and Medieval British Studies at Cardiff University, where he also completed his doctoral thesis on The Development of the Welsh Country House in 2015. As a freelance architectural historian, researcher and writer, Mark has worked with organisations such as the National Trust, Cadw, Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, building preservation trusts and private house owners.
Dr Greg Stevenson is an architectural historian and Research Fellow of the University of Wales, where he lectured in the history of Welsh architecture at Lampeter. Known to viewers of S4C television for his series Y Ty Cymreig and Y Dref Gymreig , Greg has authored and co-authored several architecture books including Cartrefi Cymreig / Welsh Homes, Cartrefi Cefn Gwlad Cymru / Houses of the Welsh Countrywise. He restores vernacular and traditional buildings across Europe for Under the Thatch.
David Wilson is a fine art photographer based in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. His images depict the breathtaking beauty and raw majesty of a land and seascape sculpted by extreme elements and partially shaped by man. His acclaimed books include Pembrokeshire, Wales: A Photographer’s Journey and The Starlings & Other Stories , a unique collaboration with some of the finest crime fiction writers in Britain.
Graffeg publish illustrated books and gifts by best-selling authors, photographers, artists and illustrators. Graffeg publish Jackie Morris, Nicola Davies, Tom Cox, Celestine and the Hare and Amanda Owen AKA The Yorkshire Shepherdess. They produce calendars, non-fiction illustrated books about Wales, landscape, photography and food, along with a growing range of greetings cards and notecards including ‘Dylan Thomas Quotes’, ‘Castles of Wales’, and Jackie Morris’ popular greetings card range. All products are available from Graffeg’s online shop. Graffeg has offices in Cardiff and Llanelli. www.graffeg.com
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Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen, 2014

The highly anticipated Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen was released during December 2014. It was a collection of essays, discussing various aspects of the estate’s history. Brynkir began its life as Llewelyn the Great’s lost deer park but it is the forgotten mansions that have captured the public imagination.

For the first time, this important site of national importance has been researched in depth – specialists from different backgrounds have come forward following three archaeological investigations led by Love My Wales, a local charity to create a book of beauty and originality. Published in bilingual format and featuring original reconstructive artworks of the site, Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen, is sure to aesthetically please the eye as well as inform people of this vastly important site.

The book includes chapters by Spencer Smith, records the discovery of Llewelyn’s deer park; Dr. Shaun Evans analyses bardic poetry concerning the Brynkir family; Dilwyn Williams traces the development of the Wern and Brynkir estates; Mark Baker describes the development of the two forgotten mansions, and, with Dr. Mary Chadwick, gives voice to Elinor Huddart, a nineteenth century novelist at Brynkir; architect Adam Voelcker tells the story of Brynkir Tower’s rescue in 1994; archaeologist Sarah Doherty and William Jones recount Love My Wales’ archaeological investigations on site; and geologist Andrew Haycock, from the National Museum Wales shares his knowledge of the geology of Cwm Pennant. Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM has kindly provided a foreword for the book. Amazingly, the book sold out within a couple of weeks of publication.

Book Details:

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Love My Wales (6 Dec. 2014)
Language: English, Welsh
ISBN-10: 099313730X
ISBN-13: 978-0993137303

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Margaret Sandbach: A Tragedy in Marble and Ink, 2013

This is one of my favourite books. Margaret Sandbach (1812-1852) is a lost heroine of the Victorian age – an early survivor of breast cancer and mastectomy, whose close relationship with John Gibson produced some of the most celebrated sculpture of the age.  Her several volumes of poems, together the letters and diaries of Margaret, her husband and Gibson, reveal a complex and tragic story of love, patronage and grief in the genteel surroundings of her home at Hafodunos.  Margaret was a woman of remarkable ability, whose relatively fleeting life is preserved through her extensive writing and patronage of Gibson. The book tells the story of the relationships between Margaret, her husband and the famous sculptor John Gibson in their own words, using letters, diaries and poetry. Fragments of Margaret Sandbach’s life of achievement and tragedy survive, scattered across the country. The book takes the form of a meandering pilgrimage to Hafodunos, Margaret’s beautiful, but derelict North Wales home. The sculpture gallery she inspired there is under restoration, following the recent fire that threatened to obliterate her greatest legacy.

Back in September 2013, Manuel Vason was commissioned by Cardiff-based production company Truth Department to create  images specific to the site of the ruins of Hafodunos in Wales. This was for the publication ‘Margaret Sandbach – A Tragedy in Marble and Ink’, by Mark Baker & Dewi Gregory. The project was based on the life of Victorian poet Margaret Sandbach, who was modelled by the artist Michelle Outram.

Find out more more about the project and order a copy of the book here

Book Details:

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust (8 Nov. 2013)
Language: English and Welsh
ISBN-10: 0992724104
ISBN-13: 978-0992724108
Product Dimensions: 29.7 x 15 x 21 cm

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Y Plas: The Story of the Welsh Country House, 2013

The autumn of 2013 saw 18 adventurous people step back in time for S4C’s living history series, Y Plas. A book to commemorate the series was developed between Mark Baker and Dewi Gregory. Y Plas: The Story Of The Welsh Country House, co-written by Mark Baker, Dewi Gregory and Siân Price tells the story of the Country House in 1910, its central place in Welsh history and the story of the eighteen brave participants.

Y Plas (Welsh for Welsh Country House) was one of S4C’s most watched factual series in 2013. Set in the National Trust’s beautiful estate at Llanerchaeron, Y Plas sat somewhere between Big Brother and Downton Abbey; reality TV Edwardian style. The task facing the eighteen intrepid volunteers was to learn to live the roles of upstairs and downstairs life in a Welsh Country House, circa 1910.

Picture led and bilingual, Y Plas: The Story Of The Welsh Country House delves into the history of the Great Houses of Wales: the people who lived in them and those who worked in the houses and on the estates. EdwardianWalesis explored – from social life, school, politics and religion to industrialisation, culture an d national events.

Y Plas: The Story Of The Welsh Country House also examines the history of the very house that inspired – and is the setting for – the television series, the National Trust’s Llanerchaeron.

Finally the book looks into the demise and recovery of the Welsh Country House and its legacy. Dotted throughout the book are the experiences of the people who took part in the television series, Y Plas: thoughts on their roles, the ups and the downs of life upstairs and downstairs in an Edwardian Country House. Sumptuous archive and contemporary photographs sit alongside stunning images from the S4C series.

Y Plas: The Story Of The Welsh Country House shines a light into a largely unknown aspect ofWalesand gives the people of these grand houses and estates their rightful place in Welsh history.

Llion Iwan, Commissioner for S4C said: “This book will add to our knowledge of the period and the characters”.

You can buy the book today for £20.00 from the Publishers and in all good bookshops.

Book Details:

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Truth Department; 1st edition (Oct. 2013)
ISBN-10: 0992695007
ISBN-13: 978-0992695002

Contents:
Foreword by Lord Mostyn
Living History by Paul Islwyn Thomas, Executive Producer
The Man from the Trust, by Paul Boland, NT Llanerchaeron
The Country House in Wales
Upstairs Downstairs
Edwardian Wales
Llanerchaeron
Back From The Brink
Saving Old Welsh Country Houses by Thomas Lloyd
Acknowledgements & Credits
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Welsh Country Houses Illustrated, 2008

This attractive booklet, produced to accompany an exhibition in Aberystwyth in September 2008, contains historic images of eighteenth and early nineteenth century Welsh country houses from The Georgian Group’s archives. Among those depicted are Hafod, Thomas Johnes’s remarkable Gothick creation that was demolished in the 1950s, and a rare depiction of charming Coldbrook House in Monmouthshire, also now lost.

Book Description:

Published by the Georgian Group
Paperback
24 pages
Published September 2008

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Forgotten Welsh Houses, 2008

Mention Wales to anyone and they are bound to think of rugby teams, the Fron choir, Snowdonia and the International Eisteddfod. Rarely though will one think of historic architecture, landscapes, parks and gardens. Yet for those who are interested in the subject, the country is peppered with a surprising richness of heritage property often of vernacular origin. Whilst you will not find a Blenheim or Chatsworth in Wales, you will find houses and gardens that are not one whit less inspiring, frequently set in breathtaking surroundings. Sadly though, a large portion of these properties have been forgotten and abandoned for decades, thus now providing exceptional opportunities for those in search of their own paradise in the United Kingdom. In this book the authors succeed in bringing the issue of heritage at risk into the public domain with informed humour when looking at renovation possibilities the length and breadth of the Principality. They have as a result discovered what should become in due course some of the most delightful homes to be found anywhere. Not only is the book intended to whet the appetite of any discerning family in search of a spectacular home of high amenity but also to assist in demystifying the rescue process. Much sage advice is given as to how to acquire and rescue heritage items that are now in distress. In addition, and by way of encouragement they mention some fascinating examples of success stories. Some readers will no doubt try to turn dreams into reality, whilst others will turn reality into dreams, and that is always how it has been…

The book was a compendium of 150 heritage properties mostly empty and at risk, with acquisition advice and success stories regarding similar buildings. It was sponsored by the Georgian Group and SAVE Britain’s Heritage. With support from the Victorian Society and Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales

The authors have discovered a fascinating array of before and after photographs which illustrate a phenomenal variety of architectural opportunities that maybe available in due course to those seeking homes of aesthetic merit in spectacular surroundings. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles a huge number of derelict Welsh mansions, smaller houses and buildings that are currently at risk of being lost to posterity. The book consists of three parts; the illustrated 10,000 word introduction offers some sage advice on the rescue process, secondly over sixty double page spreads detailing individual buildings with before and after photographs, as well as their histories, current problems and potential solutions. Finally, the third section consists of a gazetteer of another sixty properties, all illustrated with brief descriptions of their current status.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has kindly written a foreword which, altogether, makes this privately published book a notable addition to any coffee table as well as being an interesting yet enlightening statement of our time.

Book Details:

Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Hendre House Publishing (1 Sept. 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0955968402
ISBN-13: 978-0955968402
Product Dimensions: 27.8 x 20 x 1.2 cm

Contents:

Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales
Introduction
The Forgotten Houses
Gazeteer
Acknowledgements
Index

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Llwynywormwood: A Royal Home in Wales, 2008

Purchased in 2006 by the Duchy of Cornwall, Llwynywermod is, amazingly, the first royal home situated in Wales since the time of the English Civil War. A secluded and forgotten estate set tranquilly in the heart of Carmarthenshire, Llwynywermod has been a highly significant and symbolic purchase for The Prince of Wales. This book charts the history of a once great estate and follows a family’s changing fortunes from the sale and subsequent demolition of the mansion house to its recent renaissance.

Book Details:

Hardcover: 220 pages
Publisher: Accent Press Ltd; First Edition edition (10 Nov. 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1906373604
ISBN-13: 978-1906373603
Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 2.5 x 25.4 cm

Book Review:
This is a beautiful, glossy hardback book, commissioned by the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust and written by Mark Baker. Although still a postgraduate student at Cardiff University, Mark Baker has taken an interest in built heritage since childhood and has an enviable reputation as an author, having now published ten books. A leather-bound copy of this work was presented to TRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall at Llwynywermod in February 2008.

Although the area of Myddfai in Carmarthenshire is well known to Welsh people as the home of the Physicians of Myddfai in earlier centuries, few were aware of Llwynywermod until it was purchased by Prince Charles in 2006, as his home in Wales. It has since become the subject of intense interest and speculation. Mark Baker has, with meticulous research and dedication, managed to discover a great deal about the history of the mansion and grounds, the family which built it and lived there over the last two centuries and later owners as the mansion fell into decline and ruin. The mansion is still a ruin having had its stone walls stripped for use elsewhere and suffered vandalism by local youngsters. The buildings which are being renovated are those of the farmhouse, outbuildings and gardens.

The name of the mansion, originally Llwynywormwood, is discussed in detail and makes interesting reading. A family tree of the Williams and Griffies-Williams, original owners, is a great help in following the fortunes of the family, and how the mansion passed down to various members through the generations. The last part of the book records the ‘Fall and Rise of the Estate 1913–2006’ which brings home the importance of the attitude and dedication of owners towards their property when it comes to preservation. Fortunately for Llwynywermod, in 1998 it was purchased by John and Patricia Hegarty, who lived there until 2006. Already experienced restorers of an old property in Herefordshire, they set to, and stripped the farmhouse of recent changes and ‘made it into one of the most comfortable homes in Carmarthenshire’. Purchasing more land and restoring the lake, they made great strides in re-establishing the gardens and grounds, until their retirement.

There are few drawings or pictures of the original mansion available, hardly any of the furniture and fixtures, and very few documents have been found relating to the early years but the author has succeeded in discovering as much about this old Welsh mansion as possible. As he says, more information may come to light as people become aware of the new ownership.

The book is richly illustrated on every page with relevant pictures of the existing buildings, the people who have lived there and the artefacts which have survived.

Beryl Thomas

A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

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Abergele and District: A Pictorial Past, 2007

My first collaboration: the pages enclosed within this book contain a selection of over one hundred previously unpublished images of Abergele and surrounding area. These detail everyday life during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of the local people; from public houses and hotels, to high and holidays, this photographic collection attempts to capture an era long since gone.

All of the illustrations have been carefully chosen to enable the reader to step back one hundred years, into a world of memories and forgotten places. Abergele is an historic market town whose distinguished history dates back several hundred years. It is hoped that the publication of this book will encourage others to adopt an interest in local history and the preservation of our collective heritage which is fast disappearing.

Mike Roberts first became interested in the history of Abergele when as a child he purchased `Abergele: The Story of a Parish’ by Ellis Wynne Williams. Mr Williams was his headmaster at the time and Mike can remember him coming around the classrooms selling book copies at the price of fifteen shillings. Many years later when postcards fairs, flea markets, and car boot sales became more popular, Mike began to collect old postcards of Abergele as well as memorabilia which included old billheads, pottery, guide books, old advert signs, and almost anything which related to Abergele. Some of the most important items have been given by local people, whose help and support have made this book possible.

Book Details:

Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: Brampton House Publishing (7 Dec. 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0953744051
ISBN-13: 978-0953744053
Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 1 x 14.8 cm

Back Cover:

The pages enclosed within this book contain a selection of over one hundred previously unpublished images of Abergele and surrounding area. These detail everyday life during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries of the local people; from public houses and hotels, to high and holidays, this photographic collection attempts to capture an era long since gone.

All of the illustrations have been carefully chosen to enable the reader to step back one hundred years, into a world of memories and forgotten places. Abergele is an historic market town whose distinguished history dates back several hundred years. It is hoped that the publication of this book will encourage others to adopt an interest in local history and the preservation of our collective heritage which is fast disappearing.

Contents:

Acknowledgements
Foreword by Adrian Wynne-Williams
About the Authors
Introduction
Around and About
Houses of Importance
High Days and Holidays
Religion and Education
Shops and Businesses
People and Places
Public Houses and Hotels
Torquay of Wales
Further Reading

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Myths and Legends of the Gwrych Castle Estate, 2006

Since I began writing about Gwrych Castle in the late-1990s,  a huge amount of people would ask about myths, legends and ghost stories of Gwrych. I at first just disregarded most of these enquiries but it became apparent that there was a wealth of information concerning the legends of the Gwrych Castle Estate. So in 2003 when ghost hunting was at its height of popularity with the introduction of the television programme Most Haunted, I started collecting stories and anecdotes from visitors to the exhibition and those who had been to Gwrych. This book was kept on the slow burner for nearly three years and by the time I had decided to publish it, the original text was greatly expanded to include the archaeological elements of the estate and also it served to be an oral history collection.

The approach was very methodical, going through each section of the house, outbuildings, gardens, park, estate buildings and the neighbouring towns of Abergele and Llanddulas. I thought it was especially interesting to view the towns through the eyes and words of historical visitations such as Edward Lhwyd who visited the area in 1699 but I consciously placed these in the context of the Gwrych Estate. The Myths and Legends has also been a favourite amongst younger readers who have devoured the tales of the forlorn Countess haunting the marbled halls of her stately home!

Back Cover:

For centuries the Gwrych Castle Estate has been a source of tales and mysterious happenings. In this booklet a multi-disciplined approach has been used to retell the stories of this once illustrious North Wales Estate. However, a discerning eye has been prevalent throughout the research by evaluating fact from fiction. The anecdotes and stories vary greatly from fairy princesses who dwell within cathedral-like caverns to excavations at the Parish Church which have uncovered puzzling structures…

Contents:

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Preface
Site Plan
Ground Floor Plan
Public and State Apartments
Private and Family Apartments
Servants Quarters and Cellars
Outbuildings
The Gardens
The Park
Gatelodges
The Estate
Wells and Springs
Select Bibliography

Book Review:

Tales of unexpected revealed in book
Mysterious happenings in countess’ bedroom…

For centuries the Gwrych Castle estate has been the source of tales and mysterious happenings and these can now be read about in the latest book to be published by a young man whose interest in the monument started at the tender age of 14.
As a schoolboy, Mark Baker, of Prestatyn, would pass the spectacular Abergele landmark on his way to school.
He was saddened by the fact it had been left to deteriorate and decided to take action to try and preserve it. Since that time he has worked tirelessly for the cause and in 2001 added strength to the fight by forming the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust.
His hopes were raised earlier this year when it was thought a sale for the building had been agreed. This was not the case and the future of Gwrych remains, as it has for a number of years, up in the air.
“The vendors are in discussions with possible purchasers but nothing has been agreed”, said Mark, whose numerous other publications on Gwrych, and other historical landmarks in the area have always proved popular.
He admits his latest, entitled Myths and Legends of the Gwrych Castle Estate, proved something of a challenge to write.
“This collection of short stories about the myths and legends of the Gwrych Castle estate has come about after many years if research into the history of Gwrych and the Dundonald family”, he said.
“In this book I have tried to mix the tales with real historical fact, so that the stories would hang off an actual context.
“It has involved a multi disciplined approach which has proven most interesting. I have tried to weave archaeology, history and oral history together with a touch of art history to create a fuller vision of the past.”

The book includes a site and ground floor plan of the castle and each chapter recounts tales relating to the various parts of the estate – public and state apartments, servants quarters and cellars, outbuildings, the gardens, the park, gatelodges, the estate and wells and springs.
It is an easy to read publication, and while only 60 pages long it contains a lot of detail and is a must for anyone interested in local history – and the unknown,
There are many tales of unexplained happenings at the castle over the years.
One tale about the Countess’ bedroom and dressing room reads: “After her ladyship’s untimely death in 1924, this suite of rooms ceased to be used until the 1950’s when it was rented off as a flat to let.
“However, this did not last long as disturbances were felt and it became too uncomfortable for people to stay there.
“Noises were heard, as well as objects being moved and the heavy scent of violets, the favourite scent of the Countess hung in the air. The room was then closed off and not used again!”.
Mark has managed to include numerous photographs; these include one of St Michaels Church in Abergele, which was the traditional burial site of the Lloyd and Hesketh families of Gwrych up until the early part of the 19th Century.
“The locations of the Gwrych burials have never been exactly located at St Michael’s” writes Mark.
For residents of Abergele keen to find out about their town, the book is a must.
As well as the countless accounts of the goings on in the castle and its grounds, there is a detailed section on the history of Abergele itself.
It reads, “Antiquarians once disputed that Abergele was even called such, referring to an ancient tablet embedded in the walls of St Michael’s which refers to the town as Llanvihangel or Llanvihangel y Morva.
“However, this must be tempered with the fact that only a copy of the original tablet has survived.
“John Lloyd, the eight year old son of William and Margaret Lloyd of Gwrych, was buried there in 1733 and this is the earliest reference in tablet form.
“John Hicklin, in 1849, described the origin of the name Abergele as thus – from Aber, rivulet, and Gele, woody or secluded.
“This is a name still very characteristic of the town, as the river running through it issues out of deep wooded ravines above Abergele.”

Rhyl and Prestatyn Visitor, August 30th 2006

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Plas Teg: A Jabobean Country House, 2006

Cornelia Bayley, the famed chatelaine of Plas Teg, commissioned me to research and write a monograph on the architectural history of Plas Teg and the social history of its various families.  I had stayed at Plas Teg as a guest on many occasions over the years, so was already very well acquainted with the property. A draft of the monograph had been originally drawn up in 2003 during an extended stay; however work proper did not commence until late 2005 when Hafodunos Hall – Triumph of the Martyr was completed.  The fame of the house since its remarkable restoration had been striking, yet little had actually been uncovered about the history of Plas Teg.  Ms Bayley herself had accumulated a sizeable archive of newspaper cuttings, old architectural plans, photographs etc… but none of this had ever been synthesised or analysed.

Another significant resource was Hawarden Record Office, which was luckily the repository for the Trevor-Roper manuscripts which covered several of their estates including Plas Teg.  However, no one had thoroughly disseminated those items which related directly to the Plas Teg Estate. It was utterly fascinating to read the early seventeenth century Steward reports regarding the day-to-day runnings of what was the principal residence of a family of national standing.

Nearly the entire book was written onsite, sitting in the private library, trying to make sense of the convoluted narration of the previous four hundred years.  The launch was held at Plas Teg itself during early December 2006 and over one hundred people came to peruse the new book and enjoy the beauty of the house and grounds. Many myths had developed concerning the history of this country house, many misconceptions had been ingrained into public consciousness.  One of the main objectives for the book was to set the record straight, but also to reallocate those misplaced facts which had given rise to various tales of hanging judges and suicidal wives…  In fact the actual story proved more riveting, involving a deep rooted family dispute, a sorrowful widow driven to insanity and the outstanding restoration of Wales’ most important Jacobean country house which had for over forty years been a ruin. The cover was designed by Cornelia and myself, based upon an old National Trust guide book for Nostell Priory, and featured the wonderful, evocative painting of Plas Teg by Jonathan Myles-Lea.

Book Details: 

Paperback: 88 pages
Publisher: Brampton House Publishing; Second edition (2 Dec. 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0953744043
ISBN-13: 978-0953744046
Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 17.6 x 1.6 cm

* Revised Second Edition Released October 29th 2007 – Expanded and Updated *

Back Cover:

Plas Teg in Flintshire is perhaps the most important Jacobean country house in Wales. This book charts the story of the Trevor family, it was through Royal favour they acquired land, power and money, enabling the creation of the Plas Teg Estate. The book provides the stories of each subsequent owner and their effect on the house, grounds and locality up to the present day.

What happened when the house was ransacked by Cromwellian soldiers? Who was Lady Dacre whose ghost supposedly haunts the corridors of Plas Teg? What lies behind the dark walls of the haunted mansion? All of these questions are answered within the pages of this book.

Contents:

Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter One – The Early Owners of Plas Teg
Chapter Two – The Trevors
Chapter Three – The Trevor-Ropers
Chapter Four – Twentieth Century
Chapter Five – Present Day
Chapter Six – The Gardens and Outbuildings
Bibliography
About the Author
Appendices
A – An inventory of the goods at Place Tege
B – Memorial inscription of Lord and Lady Dacre
C – Diary of Charlotte Blanche Trevor-Roper

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