The Development of the Welsh Country House
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The Development of the Welsh Country House: ‘dy lŷs enaid y wlad /your court, the soul of the land ’ Aberbechan, near Newtown, Powys by John Ingleby, 1796. A house celebrated in bardic poetry for architectural achievements. NLW/PD9162 PhD Archaeology 2015 Mark Baker Summary This thesis focuses on two main themes in the architectural history of the country house in Wales, investigating firstly its development, and secondly some of the distinctively Welsh features of these houses. It argues that both themes have been marginal in recent historiography of Welsh architecture, culture and society. In this work, houses owned by families of Welsh descent are discussed to ascertain whether ethnicity and nationhood are actually identifiable in the architecture. Critical analysis of built fabric is supplemented and supported by primary sources such as the poetry of the bards, building accounts and records, architectural drawings, travel journals, photographs, works of art and a variety of secondary sources. In this thesis, it becomes apparent that one of the most distinctive features of country houses in Wales is the unit-system. Thi s form of dual planning is a peculiarly Welsh feature, enabling two ‘households’ to co -exist simultaneously, adjacent to each other but not necessarily physically connected. Such forms of building are absent from most regions of England, and its presence here is due to differences in the development of the Welsh family. The existence of a different legal system and associated customs in Wales, such as the prominence of gavelkind and female inheritance, are thus expressed in physical form. This practice has set a precedent for design and planning which has influenced a distinctly Welsh country house plan, based not only upon the need to accommodate several family members but also on a desire to preserve the domestic property of their ancestors as a physical manifestation of precedency, pedigree and memory. This elevation of genealogy is a defining feature among Welsh gentry families, who distinguished themselves not by wealth but by blood, which in England became reversed. The development of the Welsh country house offered an alternative form of nationalism, which was multifaceted in nature, and formed an essential element of architectural history in Wales. i DECLARATION This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available online in the University’s Open Access repository and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… STATEMENT 4: PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BAR ON ACCESS I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available online in the University’s Open Access repository and for inter-library loans after expiry of a bar on access previously approved by the Academic Standards & Quality Committee. Signed ………………………………………… (candidate) Date ………………………… ii Acknowledgments Thanks first of all should be given to Professor Denys Pringle and Professor Judi Loach, both of Cardiff University, who have been unwavering in their support during the research and writing of this thesis. Without the financial support of Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain, whose Ernest Cook Trust Bursary, very kindly funded this PhD, I would not have been able to complete the work. For allowing access to their private collections, The Earl of Dundonald, Lochnell Castle, Argyll, Lord Mostyn, Mostyn Hall, Flintshire, Mr and Mrs Gray-Parry, Bryn Bras Castle, Llanrug, Gwynedd, Richard Broyd, Bodysgallen, Llandudno, Conwy, Auriol, Marchioness of Linlithgow, Dr. Miranda Kaufmann, Hartsheath, Mold, Flintshire and Mrs Cornelia Bayley, Plas Teg, Mold, Flintshire. Thomas Lloyd, whose help and advice has been invaluable, and the access to his personal collection on Welsh country houses. Professor Megan Aldrich, Sotheby’s Institute, for sharing her transcripts of Thomas Rickman’s diaries. Thank you to RIBA for allowing access to and cataloguing of the papers of Detmar Blow at the Architecture Study Rooms, (including the Drawings and Archives Collections), Royal Institute of British Architects, Victoria and Albert Museum. Arts and Social Studies Library and Special Collections and Archives, in particular Peter Keelan, and Sarah Nicholas, Architecture Library, Cardiff University. The staff who assisted with research undertaken at the British Library. The National Library of Wales, in particular the staff of the South Reading Room. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, in particular Peter Wakelin, Richard Suggett and Penny Icke. Cadw, in particular Judith Alfrey, Nick Davies and Elisabeth Whittle. The staff of Abergele and Colwyn Bay Libraries, especially Ydwen Davies, have been incredibly helpful with search enquiries about the Hafodunos, Gwrych, Plas Dulas and Dyffryn Aled estates. The staff at the archives of Bangor University, Powys Record Office, Flintshire Record Office, Denbighshire Record Office, Anglesey Record Office, Gwynedd Record Office and Carmarthenshire Record Office. The assistance of Michael Bidnell and Robert Bargery, for access to the Georgian Group’s Pardoe Collection. Dr. Timothy Young, Geo Arch, for carrying out the geophysical survey at Plas Brynkir in 2013. Dr. Sarah Doherty for her helpful analysis of the excavations at Plas Brynkir. Dr. Jana Horak and Andrew Haycock, National Museums of Wales, for their geological analysis of stone samples from Cwm Pennant. The Vernacular Architecture Group, in particular Linda Hall, who provided me with a grant for their Welsh conference, held in Carmarthen during the summer of 2013. Dr. Shaun Evans and Dr. Mary Chadwick, Department of English and Creative Writing, Aberystwyth University for their discussions of Welsh gentry families and the concept of Anglicisation. Dr. Frederick O’Dwyer for his discussions of the Deane and Woodward’s work at Llys Dulas. Thanks to the trustees of Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust. The Hafod Trust, in particular Jennifer Macve; Pat Jones-Jenkins, Janet Wilding and Elaine Davey of Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust. Welsh Historic Gardens Trust, especially Bettina Harden MBE, Glynis Shaw, and Olive Horsfal. Margaret Dunn, of Dating Old Welsh Houses dendrochronology group. And finally, Ceri Young, Robin Bateman and Gethin Môn Rowlands for their assistance with Welsh translation and interpretation of early modern Welsh poetry. iii Contents Page List of Illustrations vi List of Abbreviations ix Chapter 1 : Introduction The Aim and Scope of the Thesis 1 Objectives and Approach of the Study 5 Architectural Writing in Wales 7 The ‘Old Establishment’: Contemporary Sources and Commentary 11 Politicisation of Welsh Architecture 13 Theorisation and Articulation: The Rise of Vernacular Studies 16 A Methodology for the Analysis of Historic Buildings 29 John B. Hilling and Architectural History Approaches 31 Looking for Meaning within the Built Environment 34 Structure and Method Chap ter 2 : Sources for the Study of the Welsh Country House Introduction 36 Standing Structures 36 Depicting the Welsh House 45 Written Sources 54 Other Documentary Sources 69 Abstracting the Welsh Country House 72 Chapt er 3 : The Form and Layout of the Welsh Country House Introduction 82 The Impact of the Welsh Laws on Architecture 83 Typology of Post -Medieval House s in Wales 95 The Unit System in Wales 101 The Early Development of Plas Brynkir, Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd 113 Archaism and Modernity: Conflicts in Welsh Country House 125 Design in the Seventeenth Century Chapter 4 : Survival and Revival: The Rise of Architectural Professionalism Introduction 174 The Rise of Architectural Practice in Wales 178 The Effect of the Picturesque Movement on Architecture in Wales 181 The Great Re -building of Wales: Country houses and their 183 Designers The Employment of Architects in Houses of yr uchelwyr 185 Industrialists and Country House Development 191 The Develop ment of Brynkir by the Huddart F amily 193 Llantysilio , Llangollen, Denbighshire and its r e-building by S. 201 Pountney Smith The r e-building of Hafodunos , Llangernyw, Conwy by Sir George 204 Gilbert Scott iv Chapter 5 : Women and Welsh Houses during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries Introduction 212 The Legal Framework and Female Property Ownership 216 Women in Welsh Country Houses 220 The Owens and Stanleys of Penrhos, Holyhead, Anglesey 228 The Development of Llys Dulas, Dulas, Anglesey and Kinmel, St. 235 George, Conwy The Nineteenth Century Development of Plas Dulas, Llanddulas, 247 Conwy Gwrych Castle , Abergele, Conwy and its Development by Ellen 259 Bamford -Hesketh and Winifred, Countess of Dundonald Chapter 6 : The Welsh Country House – Architecture of Wales 282 or Architecture in Wales? Some Conclusions Appendices Appendix A: Welsh country house owners based upon income, 291