Dolgellau Y Dref Gymreig


Dolgellau

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-I can think of no town

-in a better location than Dolgellau.

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-It nestles in the valley

-below some wonderful mountains.

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-In this programme, we'll look at

-the way its buildings...

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-..reflect local tradition

-and history.

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-Welcome to Y Dref Gymreig.

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-Dolgellau is a record in stone.

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-From T H Roberts...

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-..to the Apollo, a small pavilion

-hiding a big treasure.

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-We'll see a townhouse

-in magnificent, Victorian gardens...

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-..and an impressive hall

-nestling beneath Cader Idris.

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-I can't imagine a better

-starting point for this programme...

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-..than the church tower,

-in the centre of town.

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-We can look down at everyone,

-except the gentry houses up there.

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-This is a very Welsh town.

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-It's below a mountain, and there

-are stone buildings everywhere.

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-Local dolerite stone

-is used in almost every building.

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-This is a handsome town.

-And I mean handsome, not pretty.

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-Are there many listed buildings?

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-Are there many listed buildings?

-

-Yes, over 200 of them are listed.

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-We're in Snowdonia National Park...

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-..so the town's character

-can never be changed.

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-This house

-is really close to the cemetery.

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-Is it linked to the church

-in some way?

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-This path leads to the graveyard.

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-The house is called

-Tan y Fynwent (Below the Graveyard).

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-It's older than the present church.

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-It's one of Dolgellau's

-oldest buildings, as we can see.

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-There are clues about its age here.

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-The stone dormers are significant,

-as is the rough stonework.

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-More recent, Victorian buildings,

-have smooth stones.

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-It's a Victorian porch, but you

-can see it isn't a Victorian house.

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-This 17th-century house

-has some interesting plasterwork.

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-It's quite primitive,

-and I'm very fond of it.

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-This oak door

-dates back to the same period.

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-This is called Bolection moulding...

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-..and it was fashionable

-in the late 17th century.

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-The staircase is remarkable.

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-This is an early 18th-century

-oak staircase.

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-It stretches over three floors.

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-There are

-three types of baluster here.

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-These are splat balusters.

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-This is the most primitive

-and the cheapest of the three types.

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-It's a late 17th-century design.

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-There are turned balusters...

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-..and some fancy balusters at

-the bottom, where the family lived.

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-This banister is wonderful.

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-This banister is wonderful.

-

-Yes, the craftsmanship is very good.

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-It's a wide staircase

-made of oak, from top to bottom.

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-What's next, Greg?

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-We go from a 17th-century house

-to a 17th-century bridge.

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-Have you seen Minti?

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-Centuries ago, this must have been

-Dolgellau's most important feature.

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-This bridge made it possible

-for people to cross the river.

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-Yes, this 17th-century bridge

-was widened in the 19th century.

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-The top section was also rebuilt

-after the Great Flood of 1903.

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-The top end was extended

-to accommodate the railway...

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-..which was

-where the main road lies today.

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-It must have attracted visitors here

-to see this untamed countryside.

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-Yes. Tourism began to flourish

-in the 1930s and the 1940s.

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-It only took five hours to get

-to London from here in the 1930s.

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-It would take five hours

-to drive to London from here today.

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-We can see some of the town's

-best buildings from here.

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-The Magistrates Court

-is very striking.

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-It was built by architect,

-Edward Haycock...

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-..for 3,000 which was

-a huge sum of money back then.

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-This was designed by an architect,

-and it's an outstanding building.

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-It's quite different from

-the other buildings in the town.

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-The best way to see Dolgellau

-and its narrow streets is on foot.

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-Minti is ready to go.

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-Here we are in Eldon Square

-in the centre of the town.

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-It's the focal point of Dolgellau.

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-Yes, it's the heart of the town.

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-All the shops are here.

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-We can see the town's history

-through its buildings.

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-The white building with the bays

-is the square's oldest building.

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-I'm fond of Eldon Row

-which was built in 1830.

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-Neuadd Idris is the main building.

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-It was originally built

-as a market hall in 1870.

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-It was open on the ground floor,

-but it's now full of shops.

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-There are assembly rooms

-above the shops.

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-It's as busy as it's always been.

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-Yes, there's heavy traffic here.

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-I think the traffic

-causes problems in Dolgellau.

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-The street patterns are complicated,

-and there's nowhere to park.

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-It's a common problem.

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-Here we are,

-in a street called Wtra'r Felin.

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-Wtra means narrow lane

-and Felin means mill.

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-This narrow lane leads to the mill.

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-This is the town's industrial area.

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-There were several

-woollen mills here.

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-Dolgellau's wealth was generated by

-the wool and leather industries.

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-There were several tanneries here.

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-The mills must have been very noisy,

-and the tanneries were very smelly.

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-The tanneries used water

-from the river, down there.

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-The evidence

-of this town's industrial past...

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-..lies in old mill buildings

-and warehouses, like this one.

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-There are doors on each floor

-and a roof for the winch.

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-Dolgellau has several

-mill buildings.

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-The word Wtra is fascinating.

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-There are several examples

-of roads called Wtra in Dolgellau.

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-The word Wtra comes from an English

-word from the Shropshire area.

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-People in Shropshire

-use the word out-tracks.

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-Dolgellau people probably

-did business with Shropshire people.

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-Out-tracks filtered

-across the border and became Wtra.

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-On we go to the T H Roberts shop.

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-This once thriving ironmongery

-is now a coffee shop.

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-Thank you.

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-Thank you very much.

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-Tell me about T H Roberts.

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-It's an old shop, of course.

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-They sold all sorts of things

-in this hardware store.

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-It was built in 1886, at a time when

-the gold rush was on in Dolgellau.

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-There were over 500 gold miners

-working in the area...

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-..and they needed shops like this.

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-T H Roberts sold everything...

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-..from gunpowder to paraffin

-to picks and shovels.

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-It's good

-to see everything still intact.

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-The old shelves

-and the old counter are here.

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-The wood has been stripped, which

-wasn't the fashion in the 1880s.

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-Apart from that, it looks authentic.

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-It lends itself well to a cafe.

-No huge changes were necessary.

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-That's the old office.

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-The mahogany is beautiful.

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-Local legend has it

-that the glass and mahogany box...

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-..came from an old ship.

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-I'm not convinced about that.

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-It looks like it was made in 1886

-when the shop opened.

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-Anyway, it's a nice story!

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-I take it the interior

-of this building is listed.

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-Nothing's changed

-since it was a shop.

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-Yes, it was listed quite recently.

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-No-one can alter it in any way.

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-Many treasures lie

-on the narrow streets of Dolgellau.

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-This is a very unusual 1960s gem.

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-This is one of the most

-remarkable buildings in Dolgellau.

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-It's a Catholic church.

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-Yes, and it's the newest

-of the buildings we've seen here.

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-This lovely building

-only dates back to 1966...

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-..but it looks traditional,

-in many ways.

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-It's a copy of Romanesque designs.

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-Tell me about the crucifix

-above the door.

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-It's the work of an Italian sculptor

-called Castiglione.

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-It's said he did some work

-at St Peter's in Rome...

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-..and he made the bronze doors

-for the front of Milan Cathedral.

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-It's interesting because it was the

-personal project of a local priest.

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-His name

-was Father Francis Scalpell.

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-He believed Catholics in Dolgellau

-deserved a nobler church building...

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-..than a former chip shop.

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-He made it his personal project to

-raise funds to build a real church.

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-It's a really powerful design.

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-Yes, I'm really fond of the design,

-especially the columns.

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-It reminds me of the work

-of Clough Williams-Ellis.

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-Clough came from the same area...

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-..and he used the same stone

-and the same styles.

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-Clough liked the Norman styles

-we see here.

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-The openings in the columns,

-called squints...

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-..are lovely details.

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-This is a solid, cave-like design.

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-Yes, and it was designed by

-local architect, Maurice Pritchard.

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-The builders were also local.

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-We also know that Father Scalpell

-had a hand in the design process.

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-He designed the chandeliers,

-for example.

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-They struck the right balance

-between traditional columns...

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-..and modern, 1960s items

-such as the pews and the windows.

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-Yes, they're really pretty.

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-We're a mile

-from the centre of Dolgellau.

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-What's the history of Dol Rhyd?

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-Dol Rhyd mansion

-was built for the Vaughan family.

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-We're not here

-to look inside the mansion...

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-..because it's been modernized.

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-We're here to see a small building

-with a very Welsh history.

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-Look up there!

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-It's one of Dolgellau's hidden gems.

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-It's a remarkably detailed design.

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-I may be guilty of overusing

-the words top quality...

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-..but this really is top quality,

-18th-century plasterwork.

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-I can see many cultural symbols.

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-This building

-was erected by William Vaughan.

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-He was an interesting man.

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-He was President

-of the cultural body...

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-..the Honourable Society

-of Cymmrodorion.

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-He built this for its meetings

-in 1763.

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-The symbols represent

-the society's cultural passion.

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-This celebrates all things Welsh.

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-Yes, I can see some pan pipes.

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-You could look at it all day long

-and still find something new.

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-On we go to a substantial townhouse.

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-Built for the Griffiths family,

-it stands in a fine two-acre garden.

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-We're above Dolgellau, looking at

-lovely views above the rooftops.

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-The house behind us seems to date

-from two different periods.

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-Yes, we're looking at

-a Victorian house...

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-..but the middle section

-is an old, early 19th-century villa.

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-The building

-which is now a garage...

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-..is an old, wooden hut which was

-used as a private Sunday school.

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-We know that

-Bible classes were held here.

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-Dolgellau has links with the Quakers

-dating back to the 17th century.

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-The Griffiths family spent money on

-this wing of the house in the 1870s.

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-It's interesting

-because this was the service wing.

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-They employed a cook

-and a couple of maids.

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-The date is carved into

-this lovely, slate fireplace.

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-This serving hatch

-leads into the dining room...

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-..which is

-on the other side of this wall.

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-Craig y Ffynnon's main feature

-is its stunning gardens...

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-..which keep its owners very busy.

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-I can see why

-you don't work full-time, Shan!

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-There's always work to be done here.

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-Has the garden been

-a burden or a pleasure for you?

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-It's been a real pleasure.

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-We've raised three children here,

-and we both work hard on the garden.

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-There's a highly unusual

-collection of plants here.

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-Yes, and we think most of them were

-brought here in Victorian times...

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-..when people went to foreign lands

-to gather plants and seeds.

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-You've added to the collection.

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-Yes, but we tried to keep

-the garden's Victorian character.

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-We worked with the paths and

-the walls which were already here.

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-I hear you and your family

-climbed one of these trees!

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-Yes, we climbed the tallest tree

-in the year 2000.

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-It's a coastal redwood.

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-It's an unusual experience to climb

-a tree and see the view from there.

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-Weren't you scared?

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-No, we were totally safe!

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-From one garden...

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-..to another garden which is almost

-the size of Merionethshire!

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-Yes, and people did think of it

-as a garden.

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-The waterfalls around here

-are spectacular.

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-The Richards family of Caerynwch,

-the local mansion, developed it...

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-..and came to think of it

-as its personal garden.

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-The paths and the bridge...

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-..are designed to make the most of

-this fantastic landscape.

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-Was the aim

-to create something natural?

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-Yes. We're talking about the

-Picturesque period around 1800.

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-You couldn't travel abroad because

-of wars and problems in France...

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-..so wealthy people holidayed here

-in Great Britain.

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-Many people came here

-to enjoy the romance...

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-..and to taste the danger

-posed by nature.

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-You can feel it here,

-above the water.

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-If you were rich

-and well-connected...

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-..you came to stay with

-the Richards family at Caerynwch.

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-Two mansions were built

-on Caerynwch Estate land.

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-The first

-dates back to late medieval times.

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-The second, built in 1801,

-capitalizes on views of Cader Idris.

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-The entrance corridor

-is very disappointing.

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-It's small, and it's very dark.

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-You then turn the corner and you see

-the house's main feature.

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-It's a light, bright main vestibule

-with a wonderful staircase.

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-None of the decorative touches

-are too fancy.

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-No. The plasterwork is plain,

-and there's no plaster ceiling rose.

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-The door mouldings

-are relatively plain.

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-That was early 19th-century fashion.

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-Things had changed by

-the mid-19th century, as we'll see.

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-We're in the part of the house

-which as added in Victorian times.

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-Yes, this drawing room

-was added in 1867.

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-The architectural details

-are Georgian in style.

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-The wood and the plasterwork

-around the doors...

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-..are an echo

-of the designs of the 1750s.

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-The fireplace is pretty special.

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-The fireplace is pretty special.

-

-Yes, it was a fashionable fireplace.

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-The 1851 Great Exhibition in London

-started this fashion...

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-..for arched fireplaces.

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-This chandelier...

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-..was exhibited

-in the Paris Exhibition of 1855.

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-This was the family's holiday home.

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-They lived in London

-most of the time.

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-This is Richard Richards, and he

-worked for the Exchequer in London.

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-Lord Eldon was a friend of his.

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-Eldon Square in Dolgellau

-was named after him.

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-This is a fantastic room.

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-It was added in 1900, and

-I don't think it's changed one bit.

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-It hasn't been used much.

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-The original table is still here...

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-..and the paint

-is the original colour.

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-This magnificent oak fireplace

-is also original.

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-It carries

-the Richards family crest.

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-The family motto is also here,

-"Loyal to the Truth."

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-That's an original sign.

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-"Gentlemen please use the rest.

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-"Do not smoke or spin coins

-over the table."

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-It would be a shame to leave without

-having a quick frame of snooker.

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-I am the king of the green baize!

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-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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