Erddig Gerddi Cymru

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-Did you know that there are

-400 registered gardens in Wales?

-They can be big, small,

-formal or wild.

-Every garden gives pleasure to the

-thousands who visit them every year.

-I'm visiting a few of our gardens

-to see the wealth on our doorstep.

-It's the golden age of the garden.

-Welcome to Gerddi Cymru.

-I know what you're thinking.

-"This posh house probably belonged

-to wealthy, land-owning toffs!

-"I can guess the rest

-and just go home!"

-However, there's more to Erddig

-than you may think.

-Erddig resembles a grand palace.

-You can't help but marvel at it.

-Erddig is situated

-near Wrexham in North-East Wales.

-It's one of Britain's

-most notable estates...

-..from the late 17th century.

-The house is set

-in 1,200 acres of parkland...

-..and there are formal gardens

-awash with colour.

-To understand the garden

-and what it represents...

-..we must get to know

-the previous residents.

-They weren't kings or lords.

-They were members of the upper class

-who married into money.

-Erddig has a colourful history

-that spans over 300 years.

-Catrin Wager knows all about it.

-The house's history

-starts with Joshua Edisbury...

-..from an upper middle class family.

-He was appointed High Sheriff

-at the end of the 17th century.

-He didn't feel that his humble home

-reflected this new status.

-Therefore, he built a new home.

-The original structure at the centre

-boasts slightly different brickwork.

-The home was supposed to cost 700

-but he spent 8,000.

-This drove him to bankruptcy

-and he lost the house and estate.

-The house was purchased

-by a man named John Meller.

-He was a barrister

-who made his fortune in London.

-He had the required wealth

-to extend Erddig.

-The original structure

-was extended to the sides.

-John Meller was responsible

-for this work.

-It's a very long house

-but it isn't very deep.

-It was built

-as a show of his wealth...

-..rather than being a mansion like

-Chatsworth or other English homes.

-The facade's splendour and formality

-is also echoed inside the home.

-The house boasts a luxurious decor

-and grand furniture.

-It's like being at Downton!

-The table is set for ten people and

-there's enough room for another ten.

-It's the perfect room to showcase

-wealth and family lineage.

-The most influential and

-longest residing family at Erddig...

-..were the Yorkes.

-Confusingly, each male family member

-was called either Simon or Philip.

-This was their home for 240 years.

-Their wealth allowed them to spend

-extensively on the house and garden.

-To maintain such a level of luxury,

-they needed lots of servants...

-..and they lived downstairs.

-Erddig reflects the varying worlds

-of the upstairs, downstairs.

-A team of faithful servants ensured

-the home ran like clockwork.

-The masters' respect

-for their servants is evident.

-We've certainly arrived downstairs.

-This gallery

-of servants portraits...

-..is testament to the relationship

-between the owners and their staff.

-It was a custom

-to photograph servants.

-Here, there's a fondness

-to the photographs.

-Every employee has their own frame

-on the wall...

-..and there are numerous poems

-to praise their efforts.

-On this side, the workers

-have posed for a group photograph.

-The verse refers to one staff

-member in particular, Ned Davies.

-He's dressed in a bow tie and suit

-but was employed to fetch water.

-"His duties mainly, so they tell,

-were fetching water from the well."

-Some 50 years later, a similar photo

-was taken with different servants.

-Where would Erddig be

-without its gardens?

-The gardeners

-have also been photographed.

-This is Albert Gillam

-who was aged 32 in 1911.

-He looks like a very serious man.

-The gardens at Erddig

-were developed over 300 years.

-The land has been transformed

-into colourful gardens...

-..to offer architectural

-and horticultural variety.

-The landscape designer, Helen Scutt

-enjoys the gardens at Erddig.

-As someone who knows Erddig well,

-what exactly does it have to offer?

-We're walking through the original

-18th century Edisbury garden...

-..designed in the

-William and Mary style.

-It's a structured garden

-with low hedgerows and formal trees.

-These are apple trees.

-I can remember walking here in May.

-There were Narcissus poeticus

-daffodils from the Middle Ages.

-The apple trees were in bloom

-and there was a strong, sweet aroma.

-There was also a magical

-buzzing noise coming from the bees.

-Edisbury's successors at Erddig

-were Meller and Yorke.

-They developed some of the garden's

-notable features...

-..including the avenue

-of pleached limes...

-..and the lakes

-which provide habitats for wildlife.

-There's also a splendid Victorian

-Garden in front of the house.

-At the heart of the garden...

-..we can see the family's

-obsession with symmetry.

-Everything had to be symmetrical.

-It's the perfect example

-of the William and Mary style.

-There's a large grass terrace

-running the length of the house.

-As you come down the levels,

-there are oblong gardens.

-There are numerous

-rectangular gardens on the estate.

-There's a wonderful pond too.

-It's a sign of wealth and luxury.

-It proved they had plenty of room

-to be perfectly symmetrical.

-I like the canal

-but I don't think it's long enough.

-It should reach the sculptures but

-it's too short and disproportionate.

-Mathematics was very important

-in a garden of this kind.

-There was an emphasis

-put on geometry and angles.

-Erddig garden has something special

-to offer in every season.

-The skilled planting and designing

-gives a stunning garden all year.

-However,

-this wasn't always the case.

-Today, we're lucky that

-there's a garden here at all.

-I'll see you after the break.

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-Welcome back.

-The Landscape Garden movement

-during the mid-18th century...

-..provided an opportunity

-to cut back on formality...

-..and create something more natural.

-It wasn't easy to extend and develop

-the land beyond the estate's walls.

-This vista looks natural...

-..but in the 18th century, this land

-was a wild forest full of dangers.

-Therefore, a vision was needed

-to transform the land.

-It's very British.

-This was the first time

-they attempted to improve nature.

-They relaxed in this safe

-and attractive environment.

-They changed the course of rivers

-along the landscape...

-..and created lakes.

-They controlled nature.

-People like us

-could wander around the grounds...

-..whilst the gentry

-were at their London homes.

-The poor were allowed

-into the gardens.

-We now consider this view

-to be a completely natural one.

-Yes, and it's a beautiful sight.

-If the land had been left alone,

-we would be faced with a forest now.

-This view is much more attractive.

-What are the features

-of a Landscape Garden?

-There aren't lines or structures.

-You'll only find wonderful views

-and aesthetically pleasing planting.

-Trees were an important feature.

-Tree-lined avenues were planted

-to draw the eye into the distance.

-Was creating their own landscape...

-..something that hailed from

-their ability to travel Europe...

-..collecting ideas from abroad and

-bringing them back to their gardens?

-That's always been the case.

-People started travelling...

-..and visited places such as Persia.

-They witnessed the paradise gardens

-and brought their ideas back.

-It affected

-how gardens were designed.

-They incorporated influences

-from everywhere.

-Are these trees indigenous to Wales?

-Most of these trees are indigenous.

-If you drive around

-the rest of the park...

-..you'll see Wellingtonias

-which don't even look natural.

-During the 19th century, people

-started travelling to America...

-..and returned with seeds.

-They didn't plant for themselves

-but for the future.

-Yes, that's true.

-Today, you can gain pleasure

-from buying a brand-new Bentley.

-In the past, they would invite

-people to see their Wellingtonias!

-An avenue of small Wellingtonias

-was a status symbol!

-The famous architect employed

-to develop the avenues of trees...

-..and to design the vast grounds

-at Erddig was William Eames.

-Eames would always search for ruins

-to include in his landscape design.

-However, he was unaware of the

-important motte-and-bailey castle...

-..that lay hidden beneath the trees

-that he'd planted.

-Alister Williams, a local historian

-is familiar with the castle's story.

-There isn't a connection

-between the castle and house.

-The castle's history

-dates back to Norman times.

-We believe that it's a late example

-of a motte-and-bailey castle.

-It's possible that there is

-a similar castle in Wrexham.

-This would have been the

-local Norman lord's headquarters...

-..to keep an eye on the Welsh

-living in that direction.

-Is there a specific reason

-why it's located here?

-There's a steep slope

-on three sides.

-At the bottom, the River Clywedog

-is fed by the Black Brook.

-There's also water

-on three sides of this peninsula.

-Intruders could only enter

-the castle from a single direction.

-When the castle was built,

-there wasn't any trees here.

-Every tree would have been removed

-to open it up.

-The estate has respected the site

-and it hasn't been demolished.

-The estate is responsible

-for planting these trees...

-..which have helped

-to protect the castle.

-Every year, thousands of visitors

-come to see Erddig...

-..and pass this castle

-without knowing of its existence.

-Luckily, William Eames carefully

-designed his natural landscape...

-..to protect something so important.

-Eames was

-a nationally renowned designer...

-..but he spent much of his time

-in this part of Wales.

-He redesigned the land at Erddig,

-oversaw work at Chirk Castle...

-..and at the Penarlag Rectory.

-This is where Erddig's historical

-documents and letters are stored.

-It's no longer a rectory

-but a records office.

-We're fortunate that Erddig

-didn't destroy any documents.

-There are letters from members of

-the family that date back centuries.

-They didn't throw anything away

-and kept lists of what they grew.

-These lists are incredible.

-Nearly 100 fruits are listed.

-There were cherries

-on the east and north walls.

-They grew peaches and numerous

-varieties of plums and cherries.

-The family obviously had

-a keen interest in gardening.

-Yes, they certainly did.

-These lists date back to when Eames

-redeveloped the front of the house.

-"Woodman understood his duties

-to prevent mischief in the woods."

-What sort of mischief

-happened in the woods?

-He might be referring

-to over pruning.

-They kept every letter

-that refers to the house...

-..and the garden.

-It's unusual to find a home

-as old as Erddig...

-..with a beautiful Eames landscape

-to the front...

-..and an old garden

-to the rear of the home.

-John Caesars was the gardener.

-John Caesars was the gardener.

-

-He was the head gardener.

-He sent a letter to Simon Yorke.

-There's mention of how a pigeon

-was killed by Robert Henshaw's son.

-"Last Friday,

-after I went to Llangollen...

-"..took the gun and shot

-several of your pigeons...

-"..one of which he brought into the

-house and called it a wood pigeon."

-He was sacked

-for shooting the pigeon.

-We also have evidence of how much

-the estate servants were paid.

-On Friday 24 November 1749...

-..boys burning cuttings

-were paid two shillings.

-Rob Price and George Taylor dug

-the flower bed for two shillings.

-I'd do it for that price!

-They got a shilling

-for cutting hedges.

-Wages weren't very good at Erddig

-but the staff were well-respected.

-They had a team who enjoyed working.

-It's interesting

-that every detail was listed.

-The archive material is valuable

-for today's gardeners at Erddig.

-The head gardener, Glyn Smith has

-benefitted from old traditions...

-..and what was left to him

-by the Yorkes.

-Hello, Glyn.

-Good morning, how do you do?

-I think the Yorke family

-were very good to their servants.

-They built this cottage

-for the head gardener and his wife.

-It would have saved the Yorkes

-on wages, of course.

-The tradition of the gardener

-living here continues to this day.

-Surprisingly, Erddig only has

-three full-time gardeners.

-Staff costs are the greatest part

-of the annual budget.

-There's always been three gardeners.

-We supplement that

-by bringing in volunteers.

-It's tradition that a portrait

-is painted of every head gardener.

-Glyn hopes to leave more than a

-portrait after 27 years at Erddig.

-I've been here so long now,

-that it's my garden.

-I'm doing the right thing and

-steering it in the best direction...

-..so that it's here forever.

-The arrival of World War I in 1914

-transformed the Erddig estate.

-Several gardeners were forced

-to fight for their country.

-The photographs, medals

-and poetry for the soldiers...

-..are proof of the Yorke's respect

-to the soldiers and their families.

-The war left its mark on the estate.

-Philip Yorke II

-and his second wife, Louisa...

-..struggled to maintain the estate.

-The couple had two sons,

-quite late in Philip's life.

-The family was not as rich

-as it had been a century earlier.

-They hoped that their sons

-would marry wealthy girls.

-However, they didn't

-and the Erddig estate deteriorated.

-The eldest son, Simon Yorke

-inherited the house in 1922.

-He lived as a recluse at Erddig

-and the house rapidly deteriorated.

-His brother, Philip Yorke III

-inherited the house in 1966.

-I came to Erddig seven years ago

-when my brother died.

-Suddenly, I found myself with

-a responsibility I never expected.

-Apart from my dog, Trixie, I was the

-sole occupant of this vast house.

-Philip was an eccentric

-and interesting man...

-..but he didn't have any wealth.

-The only way

-to save our family home...

-..was to give it

-to the National Trust.

-But they didn't seem to want it.

-The National Trust considered

-selling the home's treasures...

-..and abandoning

-this unimportant house.

-He was determined

-that this wouldn't happen.

-He considered giving the home to

-Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives...

-..or Prince Charles if

-the National Trust didn't want it.

-However, he insisted that the house

-and its contents were preserved.

-He got his own way

-and Erddig remained as it was.

-We wouldn't be sat here without him.

-No, we could not enjoy

-this lovely garden.

-Erddig is wonderful

-in every sense of the word.

-It has a rich history

-that bridges the centuries...

-..and a garden that's a feast

-for the eyes throughout the year.

-You're lucky that I didn't turn

-on my heels and leave!

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