Llanandras Y Dref Gymreig

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-Welcome to Llanandras or Presteigne

-as it is known in English.

-I'm so close to England,

-if I took five steps backwards...

-..this show would be called

-The English Town!

-I'm ashamed to admit

-not only have I never been here...

-..but I've never been inclined

-to do so until now.

-Presteigne is a fascinating place...

-..as we'll discover

-in the next half hour.

-Welcome to Y Dref Gymreig.

-Presteigne is Welsh, not English!

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-Presteigne is a beautiful town

-in the Welsh Marches.

-Tonight, we hear about a green man

-who hides on a corbel.

-We'll visit

-a restored medieval home.

-We'll also see

-how judges lived the high life...

-..while prisoners

-awaited their fate.

-Here we are, on the church tower.

-This is St Andrew's Church

-in Presteigne.

-Even Welsh speakers call this town

-Presteigne, rather than Llanandras.

-The border with England

-is 100 yards from this spot.

-Yes, but we're on the better side!

-Presteigne is a town

-packed with Tudor architecture.

-There are more Tudor buildings here

-than anywhere else in Wales.

-What generated this town's wealth?

-There are substantial houses here.

-There are substantial houses here.

-

-Yes, it was a wealthy Tudor town.

-We're talking about

-the 16th and 17th centuries.

-Local wool generated wealth.

-During the 18th century,

-and into Victorian times...

-..it was on the main route of the

-coaches from London to Aberystwyth.

-Its proximity to the border

-also helps.

-Looking at the town, I can see

-precious few modern features.

-I haven't seen a single PVC window

-or door in this fantastic town!

-It's my idea of heaven!

-Let's explore it.

-This is River Lugg...

-..the river which separates

-Wales and England in this area.

-This river has proved useful

-to local industry over the years.

-This was the town laundry.

-People washed everything

-in the river.

-Prior to that, it was a tannery.

-Animal skins were washed to

-make leather here in the Tan House.

-There's something interesting

-in the attic.

-You've dragged me up three flights

-of stairs to someone's attic...

-..to see what exactly.

-I brought you here to see

-the fascinating roof structure.

-Most of the house was revamped

-in the 18th and 19th centuries...

-..but here, in the attic,

-we see its history.

-This is one of five medieval

-first-storey hall houses...

-..discovered in the town

-by the Royal Commission.

-Using dendrochronology

-to date the timber...

-..they know this side

-of the building was erected in 1436.

-It's very, very old.

-This is probably the earliest

-secular building in Powys.

-It couldn't be much earlier...

-..as Owain Glyndwr torched the town

-at the start of the 15th century.

-There are more timber-framed

-buildings on High Street.

-Some of the facades are Victorian,

-but the frames are made of oak.

-Despite the obvious new sections...

-..it looks almost as natural

-as when it was built.

-Yes, this is the old shop front

-from the 16th century.

-It's very old,

-and it's great to see it.

-I'd never seen one before.

-The glass in the windows is new,

-but the structure is original.

-This is indeed an old, Tudor shop.

-What makes this place so special?

-What makes this place so special?

-

-The architectural details.

-Take a look

-at the side of the corbel.

-There's a Green Man carving there.

-This is an ancient pagan symbol...

-..which became fashionable

-during the Renaissance.

-Is it original to the building?

-Is it original to the building?

-

-Yes, I think so.

-That's amazing!

-This is the crossroads

-in the centre of Presteigne.

-That's the road from the border,

-and this is High Street.

-The four architectural periods

-in the history of Presteigne...

-..can be seen on these four corners.

-The jettied, timber-framed shop

-must be the oldest.

-Yes, beneath that plaster

-is a 16th or 17th-century building.

-You can see some sections

-of the oak frame.

-It's typical of Presteigne.

-Many oak-framed buildings

-are hidden by plaster.

-Plastering is an old,

-17th-century tradition.

-It was used to mask

-or to decorate oak frames.

-To our right

-is the first Post Office in Wales.

-It looks like

-a Georgian building to me.

-The wide eaves suggest

-it dates back to Georgian times.

-It may even be a Victorian building.

-This building behind us

-is 100% Victorian!

-The Assembly Rooms

-had public rooms upstairs.

-There was a market under the arcade.

-This design is our old chum,

-the Italianate Gothic style!

-Yes, indeed!

-The Campanile tower

-gives it an Italian style.

-Without a doubt, this is

-a crossroads of wonders...

-..and that is

-the most amazing building of all.

-Yes, though it's the newest

-of the four buildings.

-It was built in around 1900.

-It's a good example

-of Aesthetic Movement urban design.

-It dates back to

-late Victorian times.

-Here we see some plasterwork panels,

-known as pargeting.

-It's a fantastic example

-of pargeting...

-..but it doesn't reflect

-local traditions.

-You see pargeting

-in south-east England.

-Two miles outside the town,

-there's a medieval hall house...

-..which has been restored

-to its original glory.

-You've brought me here to Discoed,

-just outside Presteigne.

-We're in a graveyard

-opposite a lovely church...

-..in which stands this ancient yew.

-This tree

-must be thousands of years old.

-Yes, the experts tell us

-this is over 5,000 years old!

-It's the oldest tree in Wales.

-The church is medieval.

-I like the relationship

-between the features.

-The old castle motte, dating back

-to Norman times, is over there.

-This ancient yew tree stands here,

-in front of a medieval church.

-We're here to see

-the medieval manor house behind it.

-The location of this house...

-..and the fact

-the fancy side faces the church...

-..suggests the owner

-was a man of status.

-Yes, the house was built for

-a wealthy wool merchant from Ludlow.

-From what period does it come?

-From what period does it come?

-

-It spans two periods.

-The original, stonework hall house

-stands here.

-It was extended in 1536.

-The timber has been dated...

-..which is how we know

-the cross-wing was added in 1536.

-This is one of the prettiest houses

-we've seen on our programmes.

-Minti!

-Our tour begins in what was

-the hall of the original hall house.

-The ceiling doesn't seem straight.

-Did it used to be open to the roof?

-Yes, it was open during the time

-when it was a hall house.

-In the 17th century, the open hall

-was rebuilt as a two-storey house.

-The original oak-framed house

-was rebuilt in stone.

-The ceiling and the fireplace

-come from the same period.

-This room, behind the partition,

-was a private family room...

-..when this was a hall house.

-This was the main living room

-in Tudor times...

-..when the cross-wing was added.

-The ceiling in here is lovely.

-It's a traditional style for

-the county and the Presteigne area.

-There are several examples

-in the area.

-This staircase looks incredible!

-I thought this was a 17th-century

-staircase, but I was wrong!

-Only one baluster is original!

-The pattern here is different.

-This led to the servants' quarters,

-and it's an original staircase.

-What a delightful room!

-This is the fancy gable you can see

-from the outside of the house.

-Here, you can get a good impression

-of the decorative studwork inside.

-In the winter...

-..they would place woollen hangings

-on the walls for insulation.

-Oak-framed houses

-are some of the coldest in Wales.

-I like the way the decorative work

-has an impact on the interior.

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-There is another medieval hall house

-on the outskirts of Presteigne.

-This one features carpentry

-of the highest calibre.

-I know you're awestruck

-by this porch, Greg.

-I can see it's a splendid porch...

-..but I'm not totally sure

-why you're so excited about it.

-It may not be instantly obvious...

-..but I think

-this is the best porch in Wales.

-This is Tudor carving work

-at its very best.

-This was built in around 1542.

-The carpentry is truly amazing.

-The triangular section of timber,

-known as the corbel...

-..features carvings

-of the carpenter's tools.

-The carpenter carved

-images of his tools on the corbel.

-This was an era when carpenters

-were as famous as poets and authors.

-Yes, they were esteemed

-in Tudor times.

-Reparatory work has been

-carried out to this porch...

-..but I'm amazed it's still here.

-..but I'm amazed it's still here.

-

-Yes, I agree.

-I'd expect to find a fancy room

-above here, but it's now a bathroom.

-Minti is already inside!

-The ceiling carpentry here is

-just as excellent as on the porch.

-Yes, it's probably

-the work of the same carpenter.

-But this pattern is unusual.

-The joists are laid in different

-directions within these sections.

-Yes, it's a fancy ceiling.

-It's a top quality ceiling.

-The fireplace is interesting.

-It looks as if someone,

-during the Victorian era...

-..collected 17th-century panels

-from trunks and four-poster beds...

-..and slotted them together

-to create a fancy decoration.

-It was fashionable

-to butcher old furniture...

-..and use decorative sections

-to create a patchwork.

-Yes. Trunks were cheap.

-Back to the town to see an elegant

-building called The Manor House.

-It's a majestic, plain design

-which looks Georgian to me.

-Yes, this is

-one of the town's largest houses.

-It's sophisticated.

-I love the architecture.

-This is how it looked in the 1840s.

-There's been a house on this site

-since the 16th century.

-Who lived in this house?

-Some important people

-have lived here.

-In the early days,

-it was the Bradshaw family home.

-It then became the judges' lodgings

-when the court was held here.

-Let's take a look inside.

-Let's take a look inside.

-

-You're in for a surprise.

-You're right - I am surprised.

-It's not what I expected.

-It doesn't match

-the exterior of this building.

-This is the old structure

-of the house.

-I think this dates back

-to the 16th century.

-One feature caught my eye

-when I walked through the door.

-That, of course, is the panel

-at the back of the room.

-It doesn't look like the usual

-patchwork of trunks and chests...

-..cobbled together

-to create a pattern.

-It looks original to me.

-Yes, that's a magnificent fireplace.

-It's a great example

-of 17th-century Jacobean carving.

-Do you think this house is tied to

-the structure of the original house?

-Is that why the ceilings are so low?

-I'm not sure.

-The current owners tell me

-the building is oak-framed.

-It has a new, stone front and

-stone extensions were added to it.

-This room

-may well have been like this...

-..since the building was erected,

-during the 16th century.

-Well! Out of the darkness

-and into the light.

-Yes, it feels

-totally different upstairs.

-This was a reception room

-rather than a bedroom.

-The plasterwork was expensive.

-The ceiling rose, the cornicing...

-..and the fancy marble fireplace

-weren't cheap.

-When was this

-added to the original house?

-It was built around 1840.

-That explains

-the two huge windows in here.

-The judges' lodgings were moved from

-Manor House to this building.

-It was erected in 1820 as a

-judges' lodgings and a court of law.

-Well, well!

-You instantly see

-the sheer luxury of the place.

-Huge amounts of money

-were spent on the judges.

-They only stayed here twice a year!

-It was like a luxury holiday

-for them.

-There was real money here.

-They would come here from Brecon

-having heard maybe 100 cases...

-..and there may not have been

-a single case awaiting them here.

-They would dine here at night

-and hunt during the day.

-What a lifestyle!

-The crockery looks interesting.

-Yes, it all came from this house.

-Everything you see here was bought

-for this house in the 1860s.

-The crockery and the glasses

-are original.

-The table is set

-for an ordinary, midweek dinner.

-There's a choice of six glasses!

-The smallest glass is

-a sherry glass, to go with the soup.

-White wine with the fish course,

-red wine with the meat course...

-..sweet wine with dessert,

-also port and water.

-That wasn't even a special dinner!

-I use six glasses every night, too!

-I use six glasses every night, too!

-

-Yes - you're a gentleman!

-Let's head upstairs.

-There are a couple

-of lovely bedrooms here...

-..but the bathroom

-is my favourite room.

-That's like

-taking a bath in a coffin!

-Yes. It's a good quality, tin bath.

-It's shaped like a coffin

-in order to save water.

-There was no tap here...

-..so if you wanted a bath,

-the maid had to fill it with cans.

-Keep it in mind there are 41 steps

-between here and the kitchen!

-This is an original can

-which has been painted.

-I'm told it took an hour and a half

-to fill this bath!

-I'm not sure

-how often the judges had a bath!

-This is the kitchen.

-Lots of hard work was done here.

-I think this is the biggest dresser

-I've seen in my life!

-Yes, and it was probably

-custom-built for this room.

-Most of the structure dates back

-to 1829 when the house was built...

-..but the wares

-date back to the 1860s.

-That explains these gas lights.

-But the judges were worried about

-having gas lights fitted upstairs...

-..so they tested them out

-on the servants down here!

-This feels a bit dark to us...

-..but it's nothing compared to

-the prisoners' experience!

-They were held down the corridor

-in damp, cold cells.

-It's cold in here.

-It's luxurious

-and it has an en suite!

-Yes, en suite in the corner!

-Let's head upstairs to see

-the building's main feature.

-I'm doomed! Hell's fire

-is burning bright above me!

-You're in the dock.

-This is the bar.

-That's what

-"Called to the Bar" means.

-The judge sat opposite us

-and the lawyers sat here.

-Journalists sat to one side,

-in that box.

-Is the design of this courtroom...

-..original to the period

-in which the building was erected?

-Yes, and very little

-has been renovated.

-The structure is original.

-The timber was recently painted

-but nothing else has been done here.

-When you stand in the dock,

-you feel exposed.

-People can see you

-from every side of the courtroom.

-Yes, but you feel quite different

-when you stand in the witness box.

-It's the highest box

-in the courtroom.

-The thing I like most about this

-museum is that everyone can use it.

-They allow children to come in here

-and act out courtroom roles.

-You're allowed to touch everything.

-There's an old judge's wig here.

-It's really old.

-Stay here where you belong...

-..and I'll claim my place

-on the other side of the bench.

-Any excuse to dress up!

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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