Dolgellau Y Dref Gymreig

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-I can think of no town

-in a better location than Dolgellau.

-It nestles in the valley

-below some wonderful mountains.

-In this programme, we'll look at

-the way its buildings...

-..reflect local tradition

-and history.

-Welcome to Y Dref Gymreig.

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-Dolgellau is a record in stone.

-From T H Roberts...

-..to the Apollo, a small pavilion

-hiding a big treasure.

-We'll see a townhouse

-in magnificent, Victorian gardens...

-..and an impressive hall

-nestling beneath Cader Idris.

-I can't imagine a better

-starting point for this programme...

-..than the church tower,

-in the centre of town.

-We can look down at everyone,

-except the gentry houses up there.

-This is a very Welsh town.

-It's below a mountain, and there

-are stone buildings everywhere.

-Local dolerite stone

-is used in almost every building.

-This is a handsome town.

-And I mean handsome, not pretty.

-Are there many listed buildings?

-Are there many listed buildings?

-

-Yes, over 200 of them are listed.

-We're in Snowdonia National Park...

-..so the town's character

-can never be changed.

-This house

-is really close to the cemetery.

-Is it linked to the church

-in some way?

-This path leads to the graveyard.

-The house is called

-Tan y Fynwent (Below the Graveyard).

-It's older than the present church.

-It's one of Dolgellau's

-oldest buildings, as we can see.

-There are clues about its age here.

-The stone dormers are significant,

-as is the rough stonework.

-More recent, Victorian buildings,

-have smooth stones.

-It's a Victorian porch, but you

-can see it isn't a Victorian house.

-This 17th-century house

-has some interesting plasterwork.

-It's quite primitive,

-and I'm very fond of it.

-This oak door

-dates back to the same period.

-This is called Bolection moulding...

-..and it was fashionable

-in the late 17th century.

-The staircase is remarkable.

-This is an early 18th-century

-oak staircase.

-It stretches over three floors.

-There are

-three types of baluster here.

-These are splat balusters.

-This is the most primitive

-and the cheapest of the three types.

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

-There are turned balusters...

-..and some fancy balusters at

-the bottom, where the family lived.

-This banister is wonderful.

-This banister is wonderful.

-

-Yes, the craftsmanship is very good.

-It's a wide staircase

-made of oak, from top to bottom.

-What's next, Greg?

-We go from a 17th-century house

-to a 17th-century bridge.

-Have you seen Minti?

-Centuries ago, this must have been

-Dolgellau's most important feature.

-This bridge made it possible

-for people to cross the river.

-Yes, this 17th-century bridge

-was widened in the 19th century.

-The top section was also rebuilt

-after the Great Flood of 1903.

-The top end was extended

-to accommodate the railway...

-..which was

-where the main road lies today.

-It must have attracted visitors here

-to see this untamed countryside.

-Yes. Tourism began to flourish

-in the 1930s and the 1940s.

-It only took five hours to get

-to London from here in the 1930s.

-It would take five hours

-to drive to London from here today.

-We can see some of the town's

-best buildings from here.

-The Magistrates Court

-is very striking.

-It was built by architect,

-Edward Haycock...

-..for 3,000 which was

-a huge sum of money back then.

-This was designed by an architect,

-and it's an outstanding building.

-It's quite different from

-the other buildings in the town.

-The best way to see Dolgellau

-and its narrow streets is on foot.

-Minti is ready to go.

-Here we are in Eldon Square

-in the centre of the town.

-It's the focal point of Dolgellau.

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

-All the shops are here.

-We can see the town's history

-through its buildings.

-The white building with the bays

-is the square's oldest building.

-I'm fond of Eldon Row

-which was built in 1830.

-Neuadd Idris is the main building.

-It was originally built

-as a market hall in 1870.

-It was open on the ground floor,

-but it's now full of shops.

-There are assembly rooms

-above the shops.

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

-Yes, there's heavy traffic here.

-I think the traffic

-causes problems in Dolgellau.

-The street patterns are complicated,

-and there's nowhere to park.

-It's a common problem.

-Here we are,

-in a street called Wtra'r Felin.

-Wtra means narrow lane

-and Felin means mill.

-This narrow lane leads to the mill.

-This is the town's industrial area.

-There were several

-woollen mills here.

-Dolgellau's wealth was generated by

-the wool and leather industries.

-There were several tanneries here.

-The mills must have been very noisy,

-and the tanneries were very smelly.

-The tanneries used water

-from the river, down there.

-The evidence

-of this town's industrial past...

-..lies in old mill buildings

-and warehouses, like this one.

-There are doors on each floor

-and a roof for the winch.

-Dolgellau has several

-mill buildings.

-The word Wtra is fascinating.

-There are several examples

-of roads called Wtra in Dolgellau.

-The word Wtra comes from an English

-word from the Shropshire area.

-People in Shropshire

-use the word out-tracks.

-Dolgellau people probably

-did business with Shropshire people.

-Out-tracks filtered

-across the border and became Wtra.

-On we go to the T H Roberts shop.

-This once thriving ironmongery

-is now a coffee shop.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Tell me about T H Roberts.

-It's an old shop, of course.

-They sold all sorts of things

-in this hardware store.

-It was built in 1886, at a time when

-the gold rush was on in Dolgellau.

-There were over 500 gold miners

-working in the area...

-..and they needed shops like this.

-T H Roberts sold everything...

-..from gunpowder to paraffin

-to picks and shovels.

-It's good

-to see everything still intact.

-The old shelves

-and the old counter are here.

-The wood has been stripped, which

-wasn't the fashion in the 1880s.

-Apart from that, it looks authentic.

-It lends itself well to a cafe.

-No huge changes were necessary.

-That's the old office.

-The mahogany is beautiful.

-Local legend has it

-that the glass and mahogany box...

-..came from an old ship.

-I'm not convinced about that.

-It looks like it was made in 1886

-when the shop opened.

-Anyway, it's a nice story!

-I take it the interior

-of this building is listed.

-Nothing's changed

-since it was a shop.

-Yes, it was listed quite recently.

-No-one can alter it in any way.

-Many treasures lie

-on the narrow streets of Dolgellau.

-This is a very unusual 1960s gem.

-This is one of the most

-remarkable buildings in Dolgellau.

-It's a Catholic church.

-Yes, and it's the newest

-of the buildings we've seen here.

-This lovely building

-only dates back to 1966...

-..but it looks traditional,

-in many ways.

-It's a copy of Romanesque designs.

-Tell me about the crucifix

-above the door.

-It's the work of an Italian sculptor

-called Castiglione.

-It's said he did some work

-at St Peter's in Rome...

-..and he made the bronze doors

-for the front of Milan Cathedral.

-It's interesting because it was the

-personal project of a local priest.

-His name

-was Father Francis Scalpell.

-He believed Catholics in Dolgellau

-deserved a nobler church building...

-..than a former chip shop.

-He made it his personal project to

-raise funds to build a real church.

-It's a really powerful design.

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

-especially the columns.

-It reminds me of the work

-of Clough Williams-Ellis.

-Clough came from the same area...

-..and he used the same stone

-and the same styles.

-Clough liked the Norman styles

-we see here.

-The openings in the columns,

-called squints...

-..are lovely details.

-This is a solid, cave-like design.

-Yes, and it was designed by

-local architect, Maurice Pritchard.

-The builders were also local.

-We also know that Father Scalpell

-had a hand in the design process.

-He designed the chandeliers,

-for example.

-They struck the right balance

-between traditional columns...

-..and modern, 1960s items

-such as the pews and the windows.

-Yes, they're really pretty.

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-We're a mile

-from the centre of Dolgellau.

-What's the history of Dol Rhyd?

-Dol Rhyd mansion

-was built for the Vaughan family.

-We're not here

-to look inside the mansion...

-..because it's been modernized.

-We're here to see a small building

-with a very Welsh history.

-Look up there!

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

-It's a remarkably detailed design.

-I may be guilty of overusing

-the words top quality...

-..but this really is top quality,

-18th-century plasterwork.

-I can see many cultural symbols.

-This building

-was erected by William Vaughan.

-He was an interesting man.

-He was President

-of the cultural body...

-..the Honourable Society

-of Cymmrodorion.

-He built this for its meetings

-in 1763.

-The symbols represent

-the society's cultural passion.

-This celebrates all things Welsh.

-Yes, I can see some pan pipes.

-You could look at it all day long

-and still find something new.

-On we go to a substantial townhouse.

-Built for the Griffiths family,

-it stands in a fine two-acre garden.

-We're above Dolgellau, looking at

-lovely views above the rooftops.

-The house behind us seems to date

-from two different periods.

-Yes, we're looking at

-a Victorian house...

-..but the middle section

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

-The building

-which is now a garage...

-..is an old, wooden hut which was

-used as a private Sunday school.

-We know that

-Bible classes were held here.

-Dolgellau has links with the Quakers

-dating back to the 17th century.

-The Griffiths family spent money on

-this wing of the house in the 1870s.

-It's interesting

-because this was the service wing.

-They employed a cook

-and a couple of maids.

-The date is carved into

-this lovely, slate fireplace.

-This serving hatch

-leads into the dining room...

-..which is

-on the other side of this wall.

-Craig y Ffynnon's main feature

-is its stunning gardens...

-..which keep its owners very busy.

-I can see why

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

-There's always work to be done here.

-Has the garden been

-a burden or a pleasure for you?

-It's been a real pleasure.

-We've raised three children here,

-and we both work hard on the garden.

-There's a highly unusual

-collection of plants here.

-Yes, and we think most of them were

-brought here in Victorian times...

-..when people went to foreign lands

-to gather plants and seeds.

-You've added to the collection.

-Yes, but we tried to keep

-the garden's Victorian character.

-We worked with the paths and

-the walls which were already here.

-I hear you and your family

-climbed one of these trees!

-Yes, we climbed the tallest tree

-in the year 2000.

-It's a coastal redwood.

-It's an unusual experience to climb

-a tree and see the view from there.

-Weren't you scared?

-No, we were totally safe!

-From one garden...

-..to another garden which is almost

-the size of Merionethshire!

-Yes, and people did think of it

-as a garden.

-The waterfalls around here

-are spectacular.

-The Richards family of Caerynwch,

-the local mansion, developed it...

-..and came to think of it

-as its personal garden.

-The paths and the bridge...

-..are designed to make the most of

-this fantastic landscape.

-Was the aim

-to create something natural?

-Yes. We're talking about the

-Picturesque period around 1800.

-You couldn't travel abroad because

-of wars and problems in France...

-..so wealthy people holidayed here

-in Great Britain.

-Many people came here

-to enjoy the romance...

-..and to taste the danger

-posed by nature.

-You can feel it here,

-above the water.

-If you were rich

-and well-connected...

-..you came to stay with

-the Richards family at Caerynwch.

-Two mansions were built

-on Caerynwch Estate land.

-The first

-dates back to late medieval times.

-The second, built in 1801,

-capitalizes on views of Cader Idris.

-The entrance corridor

-is very disappointing.

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

-You then turn the corner and you see

-the house's main feature.

-It's a light, bright main vestibule

-with a wonderful staircase.

-None of the decorative touches

-are too fancy.

-No. The plasterwork is plain,

-and there's no plaster ceiling rose.

-The door mouldings

-are relatively plain.

-That was early 19th-century fashion.

-Things had changed by

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

-We're in the part of the house

-which as added in Victorian times.

-Yes, this drawing room

-was added in 1867.

-The architectural details

-are Georgian in style.

-The wood and the plasterwork

-around the doors...

-..are an echo

-of the designs of the 1750s.

-The fireplace is pretty special.

-The fireplace is pretty special.

-

-Yes, it was a fashionable fireplace.

-The 1851 Great Exhibition in London

-started this fashion...

-..for arched fireplaces.

-This chandelier...

-..was exhibited

-in the Paris Exhibition of 1855.

-This was the family's holiday home.

-They lived in London

-most of the time.

-This is Richard Richards, and he

-worked for the Exchequer in London.

-Lord Eldon was a friend of his.

-Eldon Square in Dolgellau

-was named after him.

-This is a fantastic room.

-It was added in 1900, and

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

-It hasn't been used much.

-The original table is still here...

-..and the paint

-is the original colour.

-This magnificent oak fireplace

-is also original.

-It carries

-the Richards family crest.

-The family motto is also here,

-"Loyal to the Truth."

-That's an original sign.

-"Gentlemen please use the rest.

-"Do not smoke or spin coins

-over the table."

-It would be a shame to leave without

-having a quick frame of snooker.

-I am the king of the green baize!

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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