Sir Ddinbych Y Ty Cymreig

-888

-Welcome to another edition

-of Y Ty Cymreig.

-During this series,

-we travel the old Welsh counties...

-..looking at notable houses.

-This week, the historical gem

-that is Denbighshire.

-888

-888

-888

-In this programme,

-we visit a powerful lady's house...

-..and an amazing house in Ruthin.

-We sample luxury in one of Wales's

-most affluent border estates.

-At the other end of the scale,

-a lodge...

-..and, finally,

-a house in the middle of nowhere.

-We associate Denbighshire

-with excellent agricultural land.

-Yes, that's true and that's why

-there are so many old houses here.

-Almost every farm in this county

-is ancient.

-Houses reflect the wealth gained

-from the land, as we see in Berain.

-Powerful Welshwoman, Catrin Tewdwr,

-was born in Berain in 1534.

-She married four times,

-adding to her estate each time.

-Legend has it that husband Number 2

-proposed to her...

-..as she went to church

-to bury the first one!

-On her way out of church,

-she promised to marry Number 3...

-..in the event of Number 2's death!

-Catrin Tewdwr was quite a woman!

-This is the most important

-medieval house in the area.

-This building dates back

-to at least the 15th century.

-This was a medieval court.

-They then decided to build

-a new style of property.

-Three generations

-live in the two houses at Berain.

-Eirian, John and the children

-live in the old hall house.

-Grandparents Iona and Richard

-live in the new manor house.

-I think it's important

-to know the history.

-We welcome visitors here

-every now and then.

-We meet Americans who claim to be

-related to Catrin of Berain.

-They enjoy hearing all about

-the history of this place.

-My mother-in-law

-knows all about its history.

-She's passionate about it

-and I share her passion.

-I listen intently to her stories.

-My grandparents lived in this house

-when we got married.

-When John and Eirian married,

-it was a natural progression.

-No-one asked these questions

-back then!

-I hope the tradition continues.

-This is a home and nothing more,

-in our eyes.

-I feel it's important

-that it continues to be a home.

-This is the entrance to the old hall

-and this beam is magnificent.

-What are those carvings?

-Are they birds?

-Yes, I think you're probably right.

-This is a kind of 'grotesque',

-as they were called.

-It's a symbol which was very

-fashionable in Elizabethan times.

-You'll find the real evidence this

-was an important house in the roof.

-This is lovely.

-Here's the evidence.

-I told you

-this was an important house.

-You can see how important it was...

-..from the standard of the oak work

-in the structure of the roof.

-This was what's known as

-a hammer-beam roof.

-Everyone who was anyone in the

-15th century had a hammer-beam roof.

-You can see

-remnants of the old, green paint.

-They painted the whole thing.

-There was probably a coat of arms

-here, facing people as they came in.

-There was no floor and no walls.

-It was one open space.

-The entrance was important.

-This is the main reception room

-and the fireplace is worth a look.

-Wow!

-It's outstanding.

-The craftsmanship

-in this mantel is wonderful.

-I've never seen a patterned mantel.

-I've never seen a patterned mantel.

-

-It's the best one I've seen.

-What motivated them

-to build the new house?

-Did they want a bigger house?

-Yes, they doubled

-the size of the place.

-You walk through that door

-and enter a different world.

-This was the old Welsh way of life.

-They built

-a new mansion house next door.

-It offered privacy

-and a fireplace in every room.

-It was a new way of life.

-Let's go next door

-and see how the world has changed!

-We're moving from the old house

-to the new house.

-I say "new" but this was built

-in the late 16th century!

-This is completely different from

-what they had in the hall house.

-In the hall house, people lived

-in one huge, cold, open space.

-Here, the rooms are small

-and there isn't much space.

-It's a high house and

-it's impressive from the front...

-..but it doesn't go back a long way

-and the rooms aren't very big.

-The oak beams here

-are quite primitive...

-..but the ones upstairs

-are quite fancy.

-Catrin probably spent

-most of her time upstairs!

-She married four times

-and she had six children...

-..so is that why you think

-she spent a lot of time upstairs?

-This is the main room.

-You can see that

-from the intricate beams.

-I'm not convinced

-this was her bedroom.

-This may have been a public room.

-It may have been the main lounge.

-The most important thing is that we,

-as a family, are happy here.

-I suppose we all adapt to the house

-in which we happen to live.

-Farming is what keeps us here,

-not the house.

-The house

-happens to come with the land.

-I hope it stays in the family.

-That would make me very happy.

-Ruthin is one of the most important

-towns in north east Wales.

-Like many other towns,

-it grew around its castle.

-Ruthin boasts

-several architectural gems...

-..none of which outshine

-Nantclwyd y Dre.

-It's as striking on the inside

-as it is on the outside.

-This is a room and a half!

-This may be the oldest building

-we've seen on Y Ty Cymreig.

-It dates back to 1435.

-It's ancient.

-This room has been here

-for over 570 years!

-It was a hall house.

-You can see

-the original, medieval trusses.

-The ceiling dates back to the

-17th century, as does the staircase.

-The gallery

-dates back to the 18th century.

-It's been decorated

-in a 1940s style.

-The council owns this property.

-It's wonderful to see they haven't

-tried to hide any of its history.

-Many people want to get back to the

-house's roots when they renovate...

-..but here, you can see

-how it's changed over the years.

-Let's head upstairs

-and see the bedrooms.

-This room is a complete departure

-from what we've seen so far.

-They've hung acres of thick fabric

-on the walls.

-Yes, the council dressed this room

-in the style of mid-17th century...

-..when this extension was built.

-They've succeeded, because we think

-this is how such rooms were dressed.

-Why cover the room in fabric?

-They're woollen curtains, which were

-inexpensive, at that time.

-It's called Kidderminster Stuff.

-It was popular

-in all parts of Britain.

-The framework of oak framed houses

-is relatively thin...

-..and covering walls in fabric

-helped to insulate the room.

-We move on a mere 80 years here

-but it's completely different.

-This is the Georgian period.

-This is the Georgian period.

-

-Yes, around 1740.

-This room has been panelled.

-It's luxurious and the standard

-of craftsmanship is wonderful.

-This belongs to the modern world.

-We're at the back of the house here

-and it's a quiet spot...

-..far from the town's main street.

-You can see how thin the walls are

-in this oak framed house.

-Take a look at this cupboard.

-We'll see

-the house's original structure.

-It's formal out front but you can

-see the 17th century structure...

-..at the back of the cupboard.

-Minti! You can't stay in there!

-Minti likes it in there.

-The real gem of this room and

-of the whole house, in my opinion...

-..is the wonderful, tiny room

-through here.

-Goodness me! Was this a toilet?

-No, it was a dressing room

-for the bedroom.

-I love this fantastic wallpaper!

-I couldn't live with it.

-That's just as well because

-you couldn't afford it!

-.

-888

-888

-

-888

-Most people today...

-..would take pride in living

-in the same house all their lives.

-We've seen some houses where

-two or three generations have lived.

-The Trevor family has lived

-in this house in Brynkinallt...

-..for 1,083 years!

-If you can't quite get your head

-around that, how about this?

-The first owner was married to

-Hywel the Good's daughter!

-Does that help you

-put it in perspective?

-We're on the border with England.

-It's the most easterly part

-of Denbighshire.

-Yes. There have always been strong

-links between here and England...

-..especially

-where this mansion is concerned.

-What makes Brynkinallt special?

-It's one of Wales's best mansions

-and it isn't owned by a trust.

-The family still lives here.

-You can see the old house, which

-dates back to the 17th century.

-This side was built in 1612

-by Sir Edward Trevor.

-We can also see

-some Georgian extensions here.

-We can compare 17th century life

-to 19th century life.

-Sir Edward Trevor used bricks made

-on this site to build this house.

-His neighbours would have used wood.

-The houses in London

-were built of bricks...

-..so this house

-was very fashionable.

-There's always been wealth here.

-It has always had strong Royal links.

-The Trevor family was at

-the very top of the social ladder.

-It's always been there.

-Let's step inside and see the

-interior of this magnificent house.

-This is the oldest side of the house.

-What a beautiful library!

-This is the section

-which dates back to 1612.

-Yes, but this room was refitted

-at the turn of the 19th century.

-What size was the 1612 house?

-This room, the entrance and the room

-next door with the pretty windows.

-That was the main house.

-The building is 17th century

-but what about the contents?

-The bookcases date back

-to the early 19th century...

-..when Viscountess Charlotte

-refurbished the house.

-She did all the design work,

-which is interesting.

-Her designs are hidden

-behind one of the bookcases.

-It's traditional to have a false

-bookcase in a library like this!

-The most important books in the house

-are hidden in here.

-These are the original plans

-for this house.

-These are

-Viscountess Charlotte's plans...

-..for the house's transformation.

-This happened

-in the early 19th century.

-They're interesting.

-You can see not only all the designs

-she was considering...

-..and you can see some elevations.

-Did she commission these

-or is it all her own work?

-Who knows?

-There's a huge plaque outside the

-house saying she did all the work...

-..but these must have been

-drawn by an architect.

-It's interesting to see she

-collected snippets of magazines.

-They came from London

-and included the latest fashions.

-This is probably Charlotte's work.

-In this day and age,

-we'd call this a mood board.

-It's a modern concept!

-The front of the house

-is still relatively original.

-The next room is

-completely different from this one.

-Charlotte went to town on it!

-This must be one of the most

-magnificent dining rooms in Wales.

-There's a strong Georgian feel here.

-Yes, from the colour of the walls

-to the pillars...

-..and from the ceiling plaster work

-to this beautiful furniture.

-The furniture is outstanding.

-The front room

-is full of Chippendale furniture.

-It's the best money can buy.

-It amazes me...

-..that people can dedicate

-this huge space to the staircase!

-Yes,

-you could fit most streets in here!

-This was actually the courtyard

-of the original house.

-It was adapted

-in the early 19th century.

-These lanterns

-are typically Georgian.

-Yes, very much so.

-I love living in a cottage

-and I embrace the primitive life...

-..but being here makes me wonder...

-..how it feels

-to live in a house like this!

-It's magnificent.

-For some reason, you don't expect to

-find important houses near the road.

-That's exactly what we have here.

-Lodge Isaf is the only one of

-four lodges at Pool Park Estate...

-..which is still

-in its original condition.

-Why did they have a lodge

-in an estate like this one?

-It was there to protect the people

-who lived in the mansion.

-We're on a corner

-of the mansion here.

-Lord Bagot was a wealthy man and

-those who passed by this spot...

-..knew they were on his estate.

-This is like a miniature version

-of the mansion.

-When you talk about the lodge,

-you mean the small, tall section.

-Yes, it's been extended.

-This has been done

-very sympathetically.

-They kept the new building

-away from the old lodge.

-They have used copies

-of the original roof tiles...

-..and that makes a difference.

-It's important because it tries hard

-to look like a Ruthin house.

-They used red sandstone,

-which you see everywhere in Ruthin.

-The timber frame

-is plaster on a brick wall.

-They wanted to recreate

-a Tudor style.

-Yes. It was very fashionable.

-The chimney

-is at the centre of the house.

-All the rooms straddle the chimney,

-so all the rooms can be heated.

-This is the best place to be.

-It's quite warm upstairs.

-This is better than

-the more modern building.

-This fire heats up

-so much of the house.

-Yes. I agree.

-The house was here long before us

-and it will outlast us, hopefully.

-The work we've done to the house,

-including the new roof...

-..has given the old house

-a new lease of life.

-You lucky people!

-Over the years, we've given you

-countless architectural gems...

-..and this is no exception.

-This house has one added extra.

-Yes, it's a lovely house

-that's steeped in history...

-..and this is where one of the most

-important Welsh books was written.

-Welcome to Dolbelydr.

-Dolbelydr is remote and has been

-hidden from the world for centuries.

-It was occupied

-at the turn of the 20th century...

-..but by the dawn of this century,

-it had gone to wrack and ruin.

-A sad fate

-for the home of Henry Salesbury...

-..who wrote the first

-Welsh grammar book in 1593.

-This house is worth seeing.

-Yes,

-it's a truly remarkable property.

-That's why we do this series -

-to discover houses like this.

-Considering the house is so old,

-these windows are enormous!

-Yes. These windows really

-capitalise on the sunlight.

-Even in the winter, there's plenty

-of light in the house.

-It's very well designed.

-Let's look inside.

-I'm sure we'll see

-some more wonders.

-That's original

-and it's magnificent.

-This Tudor shape

-is typical of this period.

-There's a little bit of

-very old graffiti behind the door.

-A child carved this picture

-in the wooden partition.

-This is the main room - the room

-where the family spent most time.

-There's a window on each side.

-The roof structure is amazing.

-You can see what's original and you

-can see what's been scarfed onto it.

-Yes, it's great

-to be able to see the join.

-No attempt has been made to stain

-the new pieces to match.

-The roof collapsed, so everything

-was in a pile on the floor.

-They've done a remarkable job.

-It's great to see

-such suitable furniture here.

-It's wonderful to see these three

-pieces of furniture in this hall.

-There's a huge table

-in front of the fireplace.

-There's a narrow staircase leading

-to the family's private room.

-The stairs are tiny,

-compared to the size of the room.

-Wow!

-This was the Salesbury family's

-private room.

-Was this a public room

-or was it a bedroom?

-They dined downstairs,

-then they retired up here.

-Would it have been an open ceiling?

-Yes. You can see the old trusses.

-One look at the chimney gives you

-a clear picture of the structure.

-It worked like a massive

-storage heater during the night.

-It heated the whole house.

-It's unusual

-to have a fireplace upstairs.

-It's really posh

-to have a fireplace upstairs.

-The most impressive feature

-of the room is behind this door.

-The en suite!

-I wonder if you can still use that.

-After you!

-Maybe not!

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

-.