Sir Fon Y Ty Cymreig

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-You don't need much help to guess

-where we are in this programme.

-There were once 50 windmills

-and 50 watermills on this island.

-They produced flour on the island

-known as the Mother of Wales.

-There's more to Anglesey

-than industrial buildings.

-Welcome to Y Ty Cymreig.

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-In this programme, we'll see

-some of Anglesey's great houses.

-A chateau - yes, honestly!

-One of the last thatched cottages

-on the island.

-A lighthouse which is a unique home.

-A mansion which has been

-in the same family for 400 years.

-Anyone who's spent time on the

-Menai Straits has seen this house.

-It's totally different from

-anything else you see on this river.

-Yes, it's unique.

-Chateau Rhianfa is probably

-the only chateau in Wales.

-It was designed

-to look like a Loire Valley chateau.

-The land was bought

-by the 2nd Baronet of Bodelwyddan...

-..Sir John Hay Williams, in 1849.

-The chateau was designed by

-an architect from Liverpool.

-I'm not sure why they built

-a chateau in Wales but why not?

-Sir John was rich and had romantic

-ideas about medieval design.

-It's a complete fantasy.

-The garden is an important part

-of the Victorian image.

-Yes, collectors returned

-from China, India and so on...

-..with rhododendron, frangipani

-and so on.

-Wealthy people bought them

-and planted them in their gardens.

-This garden is sheltered

-and that helps.

-There are several buildings

-in the garden.

-That's a special one.

-Yes, the dovecote is my favourite.

-The romantic shape of its roof

-is inspired by French designs.

-I'm very fond

-of the fish scale slates.

-This reflects

-the sheer magnitude of their wealth.

-They could afford to spend pots

-of money on a dovecote - on a whim!

-Much of what we see here

-is original to the house.

-This is a magnificent ceiling.

-Yes and that's the original paint,

-which is wonderful.

-Considering this place was converted

-into student flats in the 1960s...

-..it's in amazingly good condition.

-These American walnut doors are the

-best available in the Victorian age.

-You can see from the decor that the

-present owners respect the property.

-Yes, the 20th century furniture

-fits in really well.

-The architectural features such as

-the fireplace and the ceiling...

-..are a mixture

-of Baroque, Indian and classical.

-Maybe that's why 20th century

-pop art furniture is perfect for it!

-What is that castle I can see

-beneath the window?

-Whatever it is, it suits the room!

-You could throw almost anything

-into the mix.

-It looks like William Burgess's work

-at Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch.

-It's actually a working fireplace.

-It's under a window

-but there's a flue to one side.

-We've moved

-to the back of the house.

-This area looks as though

-it should be outside.

-It was a conservatory

-or an orangery.

-Even here, there's a beautiful

-fancy staircase.

-It looks even more stunning

-because the wall is painted black.

-This really fancy water bowl

-is there for the plants.

-Look at those Romanesque columns!

-It's all very, very ornate.

-It must have been very expensive and

-no-one could afford to do it today.

-There's a huge element

-of fantasy here.

-Yes, it's pure fantasy.

-Wealthy Victorians

-were very conservative...

-..but the architecture we see here

-is anything but conservative!

-This lady is the reason we're here.

-Yes, that's Lady Sarah...

-..the woman responsible for

-the decor of this place.

-She doesn't look too happy about it

-in that portrait!

-How many houses have a lift?

-How many houses have a lift?

-

-Very few.

-Come on, Minti!

-When someone mentions a lighthouse,

-you think of this.

-Tall and stripey

-with a light on the top.

-Think again - some are different.

-I've always wanted to see

-a lighthouse on Y Ty Cymreig.

-There are nine of them on Anglesey.

-Tell me about this one.

-Tell me about this one.

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-It was built in 1835.

-It's unusual,

-in that it has no tower.

-Most of our lighthouses were built

-in association with Trinity House...

-..but this one

-was built by Jesse Hartley.

-It looks like a castle.

-Neo-Gothic fashion was growing

-and it looks like a mini mansion...

-..or a lodge for a mansion

-from that period.

-Why did they need three houses?

-Three people ran every lighthouse.

-One lighthouse keeper

-and two pilots.

-We live in the main house and we

-let the cottages to holidaymakers.

-Iona, Robin and Finn, the

-Irish Wolfhound, own the lighthouse.

-How did you come across this place?

-When we first met each other,

-over 20 years ago...

-..we came here for a picnic.

-We sat there and Robin said...

-.."If I could live anywhere

-in the world, it would be here."

-I replied, "Don't be silly!

-Who could buy a lighthouse?"

-Many years later,

-we were on holiday here...

-..when we passed an estate agent

-and saw Point Lynas was for sale.

-Two years later, we bought it.

-Are you in charge

-of keeping the lamp shining?

-No, although Robin says

-I'm the foghorn in this place!

-Trinity House

-maintain the lighthouse building.

-They come here once a month

-to keep an eye on it.

-How does the lamp work?

-How does the lamp work?

-

-It's a work of art.

-It's really beautiful.

-All the hard work

-is done by three small bulbs.

-I have one of those bulbs

-in my pocket.

-Look how incredibly small this is!

-Three 250 watt bulbs, what you'd

-have in a domestic light fitting...

-..light up this room.

-You can see the light 20 miles away.

-The magnifying work

-is all done by these lovely lenses.

-Yes, the glass is really wonderful.

-Yes, indeed.

-How was the light produced

-before electricity was invented?

-They used paraffin lamps

-and oil lamps before that.

-There was a massive fire risk

-in the house.

-The keeper's house

-is just behind this wall.

-That's why it's a stone staircase.

-What do you like most

-about living here?

-The best thing about it is the sea.

-I love to sit and watch the sea.

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-Welcome back to Y Ty Cymreig

-and to a hidden gem - Carreglwyd.

-Unlike the chateau we saw earlier,

-this is tucked away.

-Yes, it's completely private.

-This mansion was built in 1634.

-It isn't on a hilltop

-and it offers no glorious views.

-In fact, it's hidden in a hollow.

-To all intents and purposes,

-it looks like a Georgian house.

-It's been remodelled.

-Everything to the left of the

-central chimney is 17th century.

-Everything to the right of it

-is 18th century...

-..and there are

-some Victorian touches here.

-It looks like one building.

-For once, pebbledash

-has proved to be an asset!

-Yes, but I'd never say that

-about any other house!

-They worked hard

-to keep the symmetry.

-What features can we see here?

-These are Georgian windows.

-Ordinary ones to the left...

-..and huge ones to the right,

-in the dining room.

-The dormers at the top

-have side-hung sashes.

-The Georgian fanlight

-above the door is outstanding.

-This is the best view of the house.

-The trouble is I can't turn the boat

-around to admire it!

-Wherever we look in this room,

-there's a chunk of history.

-There are centuries of history

-in this room.

-Yes, Carreglwyd has been

-in the same family...

-..since it was built

-in the 17th century.

-There are portraits on the walls

-in almost every room.

-In the hall, the first room you see

-when you enter the house....

-..is a portrait of William Griffith,

-who built this house.

-He was Master of the Rolls

-for Charles I.

-The golden handshake he received

-upon his retirement...

-..paid for this house.

-Who's that lady?

-Who's that lady?

-

-That's his wife.

-Her portrait is twice as big as his!

-It doesn't say her name.

-She's known as The Wife of

-Chancellor Griffith of Carreglwyd.

-The owner and passionate caretaker

-of Carreglwyd now is Tom Carpenter.

-The house has been adapted

-several times.

-I took over the estate in 1982.

-A significant amount of

-renovation work was carried out...

-..between 1982 and 1985.

-My aim was to return this part

-of the house to the 1760s.

-The kitchen and breakfast room

-have been modernised.

-That contrast works well for us.

-My wife made the greatest sacrifice

-and she did most of the hard work.

-It's great

-in spring, summer and autumn...

-..but winter

-continues to be a challenge.

-High oil prices

-make it an expensive house to heat.

-Have you made sacrifices

-or is it a privilege?

-It's both of those things.

-I can't imagine being away from here

-for a long period of time.

-These windows

-are bigger than the other ones.

-It's a lighter room.

-It's a lighter room.

-

-Yes.

-That's the original stain.

-They haven't been painted.

-These arches

-are very much Georgian features.

-Yes, they're typically Georgian.

-We're talking about

-the classical period here.

-This curved door

-leads to the kitchen.

-This is one of my all-time

-favourite doors.

-Imagine how difficult it must have

-been to hang a curved door!

-It's verging on the impossible.

-It could do with some polish!

-It's wonderful

-to be enveloped in history.

-This magnificent landing

-is like a first floor hall.

-It's big enough

-to be a take-off and landing!

-This is the main staircase and the

-servants' staircase is next to it.

-From what period

-does this part date?

-It's the original

-17th century building...

-..as you can see from the beams

-and the mouldings.

-This is definitely 17th century.

-Did this room

-have a particular function?

-Its size suggests to me

-this was a reception room.

-It's certainly a great space

-in which to display heirlooms.

-Are there bedrooms off this landing?

-Are there bedrooms off this landing?

-

-Yes, let me show you my favourite.

-Isn't it lovely?

-It isn't a huge room

-but the fireplace is wonderful.

-It dates back to the Regency period,

-which was the early 19th century.

-We tend to link Georgian style

-with plain designs.

-Yes, classical designs.

-This is exceptionally fancy!

-There's a dado rail and a

-decorative strip around the ceiling.

-It really is ornate.

-Yes but think about the

-leading architect, John Nash...

-..and his work at Yr Hafod

-and in the famous Brighton Pavilion.

-We see similar designs

-on this fireplace.

-This Indian shape

-was the height of fashion.

-Chinese and Indian designs

-were all the rage.

-There's no plaster here -

-it's all wood.

-The cornice is made of wood as well.

-Does it feel like a Welsh house

-to you?

-The children all speak Welsh

-and I feel Welsh.

-My family

-is a part of the history of Wales.

-Being a part of the 'Yes' campaign

-for the Welsh Assembly...

-..made it all come alive for me.

-Everyone has a part to play

-in the new Wales...

-..and I'm proud of that.

-It's my duty to help my children

-follow their own path in life...

-..and also to be a part

-of preserving Carreglwyd.

-Once, Anglesey was covered with

-whitewashed thatched cottages.

-Today, Swtan in the north of the

-island, is the last one standing.

-Greg, you must be in your element.

-Yes, this cottage

-makes my heart sing.

-This is why we make Y Ty Cymreig.

-It's all about

-pretty, original cottages like this.

-This is

-the quintessential Welsh house.

-Yes, indeed.

-We're very close to the sea.

-Was this a fisherman's cottage?

-It was a smallholding.

-The pigsty has gone

-but the calf shed is here.

-There are large gardens here.

-The oat straw on the roof

-suggests they cultivated oat here.

-It was a smallholding

-but they may have fished as well.

-People did what they could

-to make ends meet.

-The main house is on this side...

-..with the fireplace

-and the dairy next to it.

-This was common layout

-in west Wales.

-This floor looks like concrete.

-No, it isn't concrete.

-This is the original earth floor.

-If you look closely, you can see

-the nails where the lino was.

-The roof has been rebuilt

-but it is very traditional.

-The roof trusses are new,

-as is the roof structure.

-The gorse underthatch

-is covered with canvas.

-They would have originally used

-old grain sacks.

-What is the house used for today?

-What is the house used for today?

-

-It's a museum.

-Cadw and the National Trust

-aren't involved.

-The Porth Swtan community,

-assisted by Menter Mon...

-..raised the money

-to carry out this project.

-Peter Muckle

-helped the Porth Swtan community...

-..but perhaps the leading expert

-was a man who lived in Swtan.

-Gwilym, you were the last person

-to be born in this house.

-For how long did you live here?

-I lived here for over 30 years.

-What memories do you have

-of living here?

-Good memories of long summers

-spent on the beach...

-..and going fishing with my dad.

-Going out on balmy summer evenings.

-Was it a comfortable home?

-It was alright,

-as long as you were by the fire.

-If you moved away from the fire it

-was cold, especially in the winter.

-It was great in the summer.

-Where did you sleep?

-Where did you sleep?

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-Up in the cockloft.

-Up there.

-This is the calf house

-and it is also thatched.

-They needed the roof nets

-because it's windy here.

-This is a tiny space.

-This must be the calf.

-This must be the calf.

-

-Yes, Minti's new friend!

-You can see the walls,

-which are interesting.

-This local stone probably came from

-the fields and from the beach.

-They didn't waste whitewash.

-Only the bottom half of the wall

-was whitewashed.

-It's wonderful to see the gorse.

-This is how the underthatch looks

-without a canvas.

-Are you proud of

-your renovated former home?

-Yes, I'm proud of it and

-it can make me yearn for the past.

-You're now a grandfather.

-You're now a grandfather.

-

-Yes, I have six grandchildren.

-They love to come here.

-I hope some of them

-help keep this place going.

-There are few examples like this

-in Wales.

-Unfortunately, that's true.

-The lesson for us all is

-how the community came together...

-..to save this place.

-If everyone in Wales did that...

-..we'd have enough houses

-to fill 20 series of Y Ty Cymreig!

-Yes but unfortunately,

-that isn't the case.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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