0:00:00 > 0:00:00- 888
0:00:00 > 0:00:02- 888- - 888
0:00:29 > 0:00:31- 888
0:00:35 > 0:00:37- 888
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- Welcome to the most rugged - landscape in Wales...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46- ..and the rugged houses - which seem to grow from it.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51- The hall houses - described in the first programme...
0:00:51 > 0:00:55- ..were common throughout Wales, - from Anglesey to Monmouth.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59- In the 16th and 17th centuries, - housing culture changed...
0:01:00 > 0:01:05- ..and regional variations emerged, - as storeyed houses were built.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- It could be argued the first type - of storeyed houses built in Wales...
0:01:11 > 0:01:13- ..were erected here in Snowdonia.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- So much so, it is still known - as the Snowdonian house.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29- It's important not to confuse - the Snowdonian house type...
0:01:29 > 0:01:34- ..with the thousands of central - stair houses which developed later.
0:01:34 > 0:01:39- The exteriors were similar but - they were fundamentally different.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- Compared - with cottages and longhouses...
0:01:42 > 0:01:46- ..the Snowdonian house design - is less familiar to the Welsh.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51- The Snowdonian house - is a well-kept architectural secret.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56- In this programme, we'll trace - the origins and development...
0:01:56 > 0:01:58- ..of the Snowdonian house.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08- Peter Smith wrote the book - Houses Of The Welsh Countryside...
0:02:08 > 0:02:10- ..for the Royal Commission.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15- He was the first historian to define - and summarize the Snowdonian house.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22- His book inspired our journey...
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- ..which starts at Gwydir Castle, - Llanrwst.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28- This isn't a Snowdonian house...
0:02:29 > 0:02:32- ..so why am I here - at the start of this programme?
0:02:32 > 0:02:37- This house set the foundation - for that pattern of building.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40- It had a huge influence - on this area...
0:02:40 > 0:02:43- ..because the Wynn family - lived here.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- It was an influential - and affluent family.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49- They owned most of Snowdonia.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Their tenants were - familiar with this house...
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- ..and may well have - aspired to such a home.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- Gwydir Castle was the template...
0:02:59 > 0:03:03- ..with which wealthy farmers - started to build Snowdonian houses.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11- The Wynns of Gwydir...
0:03:11 > 0:03:15- ..claimed to be descendants - of the Princes of Gwynedd...
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- ..through Rhodri ap Owain Gwynedd.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20- In the 16th century...
0:03:20 > 0:03:25- ..everyone in North Wales would have - been aware of the powerful Wynns.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34- Sir John Wynn, who was born in 1553, - famously founded a school here.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38- Bishop William Morgan - was educated at the school.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43- The main building dates back - to the start of the 16th century.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47- The porch at the front - of the house was a later addition.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54- It's Gwydir was truly revolutionary - when it was built.
0:03:54 > 0:03:59- This was a time when people - lived in a single-roomed house...
0:03:59 > 0:04:02- ..with a fire - in the centre of the floor...
0:04:02 > 0:04:06- ..the smoke from which drifted out - through a hole in the roof.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10- This was a three-storey, - three-chimney house...
0:04:11 > 0:04:13- ..which symbolized - the owners' wealth.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16- Gwydir also has three fireplaces.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21- The windows are now far larger - than they were originally...
0:04:21 > 0:04:23- ..and that's a new staircase.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25- It wasn't a real castle...
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- ..but, as the sturdy structure - suggests, it was a stronghold.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43- Gwydir formed a prototype - for the new type of house...
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- ..which was being built - by wealthy farmers.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55- It has chimneys on the gables, - stairs around the fireplace...
0:04:55 > 0:04:58- ..and unit system developments...
0:04:58 > 0:05:02- ..where wings are added - to the main house.
0:05:02 > 0:05:07- These elements are essential to the - development of Snowdonian houses.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28- If this was the seed, - what grew from it?
0:05:50 > 0:05:55- Ironically, the first Snowdonian - house we'll see in this programme...
0:05:56 > 0:06:01- ..stands in Cardiff, - some 200 miles south of Snowdonia.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05- Y Garreg Fawr was originally erected - in Waunfawr in 1544.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09- It was re-erected here, at the - National History Museum, in 1984...
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- ..440 years later.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26- What are the external features - of the Snowdonian house?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- This is a classic example - of a Snowdonian house.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34- They're solid houses and are, - without exception, stone houses.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- Stone was freely available - in Snowdonia...
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- ..but the hall houses built here - were timber-framed.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47- It was a total change of style which - was adopted in the 16th century.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- This is an early example - of a Snowdonian house...
0:06:51 > 0:06:56- ..and all Snowdonian houses - have a solid structure, like this.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01- Y Garreg Fawr has very tall chimneys - which were status symbols.
0:07:01 > 0:07:07- Having a TV aerial on your roof - in the 1950s was a sign of wealth...
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- ..and it was just the same - in the 16th century.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16- Similarly, a tall chimney was for - someone with elevated social status.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- What else is remarkable - about the chimneys?
0:07:20 > 0:07:25- They're angled against the ridge - of the roof, for decoration.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- This was also a sign of wealth, - as it was expensive to build.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36- That's no surprise when I tell you - this house was commissioned...
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- ..by Sir John Wynn of Gwydir.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- It was a house on his estate.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- The tenant happened to be - one of his brother's friends.
0:07:46 > 0:07:52- He must have been one of the - wealthiest tenants in the parish.
0:07:52 > 0:07:58- It's generally true to say that - only the best houses have survived.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- By 1560, - Gruffydd ap Hywel ap Robert...
0:08:05 > 0:08:08- ..paid an annual rent - of 40 shillings.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- Gruffydd would have been able - to farm Welsh Black cattle...
0:08:13 > 0:08:19- ..driving to market in southern - England along the drovers' roads.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24- Y Garreg Fawr looked very different - in its original setting in Waunfawr.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- It had been converted into a barn.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- When it was re-ereceted - in St Fagans...
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- ..it was restored to its - original form as a Snowdonian house.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42- What Snowdonian features - are there inside the house?
0:08:43 > 0:08:48- We're standing between two doors - which create a cross-passage.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52- This was the main room, - traditionally called the hall...
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- ..even though this wasn't - a hall house of course.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01- Farmers continued to use the term - "hall" for the main living room.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- Household chores were carried out - in here, including the cooking.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- There are two small rooms behind us - which was the norm.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- One was a dairy...
0:09:14 > 0:09:16- ..and the other was a cold parlour.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22- Above our heads are the bed, - living and storage chambers.
0:09:23 > 0:09:28- The two floors were separate for the - first time in Snowdonian houses.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- They were built this way.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- Yes, they were designed - as two-storey houses.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38- Many old hall houses - were modified...
0:09:39 > 0:09:44- ..but this 1544 house is one of the - oldest surviving Snowdonian houses.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- How would people have lived - in these houses?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- There's a lot of furniture in here.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56- Yes, some of which is familiar to us - such as the dining table and chairs.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02- The two-piece cupboard - has the date 1605 carved into it.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06- There are also storage chests, - chairs and stools here.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12- The features usually associated - with a traditional farmhouse...
0:10:12 > 0:10:16- ..such as a dresser and corner - cupboard hadn't been invented.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- This is fairly primitive furniture.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25- Chores would be done here, as this - is the only ground floor fireplace.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27- All the cooking would be done here.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- The fire would burn day and night, - throughout the year.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- It was a work room - and a living room.
0:10:36 > 0:10:42- Y Garreg Fawr was built in 1540, - making it an early Snowdonian house.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- It has a mature plan - in all but one respect.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49- It lacks - the stone fireplace stairs...
0:10:49 > 0:10:54- ..which later became ubiquitous - in houses of this type.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- This shows the novelty - of storeyed houses...
0:10:57 > 0:11:01- ..and how similar early Snowdonian - houses were to hall houses.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06- The design had yet to be perfected - when Y Garreg Fawr was built.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10- According to - Houses Of The Welsh Countryside...
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- ..region-specific storeyed houses - were built in Wales...
0:11:14 > 0:11:18- ..in the period after hall houses - fell from favour.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22- Previously, there were only - hall houses throughout Wales.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28- If we then turn to a map which shows - the location of Snowdonian houses...
0:11:28 > 0:11:30- ..we see why they earned their name.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36- There's a clear concentration - of this house type in Gwynedd.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41- This book is invaluable because - the information is collated...
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- ..and presented in a way - we can all understand.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- As we know, Y Garreg Fawr - was built as a Snowdonian house...
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- ..but there are different sorts - of Snowdonian houses.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21- .
0:12:23 > 0:12:23- 888
0:12:23 > 0:12:25- 888- - 888
0:12:40 > 0:12:44- This is Ty Mawr, - at the far end of Cwm Wybrnant.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- Bishop William Morgan was born here - in 1545.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52- He was the man who first translated - the whole Bible into Welsh.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- This is a Snowdonian house - in its natural setting.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04- William Morgan's parents - were tenants of the Gwydir estate.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- The Wynn family's influence - went beyond architecture.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- It also shaped the life - of William Morgan.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- He received his early education - from the Wynns' private chaplain.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21- He then studied at - St John's College in Cambridge...
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- ..and he went on - to serve as Bishop of St Asaph.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Ty Mawr Wybrnant is famous - as the home of the man...
0:13:31 > 0:13:34- ..who secured the survival - of the Welsh language.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40- This hall house was modified - to appear to be a Snowdonia house.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44- Ty Mawr displays the main features - of a Snowdonian house.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47- The door is set to one side.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- The row of first floor windows - suggests it's fully storeyed.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- The chimneys are on the gable ends - of the house.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00- You can see the wall which was built - to support the chimney...
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- ..when this house was modified - and modernized.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- This house is known - as a two-unit dwelling.
0:14:16 > 0:14:21- The ground floor is divided into - two units - the large kitchen...
0:14:21 > 0:14:25- ..and two smaller, screened rooms - form the second unit.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30- The classic features you'll see - in a Snowdonian house are all here.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- The gable-end fireplace...
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- ..and a floor, which means - there are rooms upstairs.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- As I mentioned earlier, this house - was modified and modernized.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- Ty Mawr was originally - a classic hall house.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- It was built in the 16th century.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- Using computer graphics...
0:14:57 > 0:15:01- ..we can see this single-storey - house in its original form.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09- The door leads to a cross-passage - and a splendid, open hall.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- There's an open hearth - in the middle of the floor....
0:15:14 > 0:15:16- ..and a dais screen at the top end.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- The space is open to the roof...
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- ..and we can admire the - striking crucks which support it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34- In the 17th-century Snowdonian - house modification of Ty Mawr...
0:15:34 > 0:15:39- ..the door at the other end - of the cross-passage is blocked off.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- A dais screen has been added, - on the left...
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- ..and the central hearth - has disappeared.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- A new fireplace has been added - at the top end.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51- A ceiling has been fitted...
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- ..and Ty Mawr is transformed - into a two-storey home.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01- It also has a slate roof instead - of its original stone tiles.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05- The house was restored - by the National Trust in 1988...
0:16:05 > 0:16:10- ..to mark the 400th anniversary - of the Welsh-language Bible.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- The only remaining evidence - that this was indeed a hall house...
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- ..when Bishop William Morgan - was born in 1545...
0:16:25 > 0:16:29- ..is this cruck fragment - which is stuck in the wall.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- As you can see, - they sawed across it.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36- This proves the window over here - isn't original.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- The other cruck - would have been there...
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- ..and the pair met in the middle.
0:16:42 > 0:16:48- This magnificent joist supports - all the weight of the gable end.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53- The wall behind the chimney - isn't original, of course.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55- At the top of this joist...
0:16:55 > 0:16:59- ..we can see the holes where - the floor was originally located.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- This is another modification, - of course.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- Was it a house typical of the area?
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- It's called Ty Mawr - A Great House. - Why was it great?
0:17:14 > 0:17:19- The local residents had no means - of building big houses.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21- It was true then, as it is now.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- It's surrounded by animals grazing.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- That formed the basis - of the wealth...
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- ..which financed - the building of this house.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- These were commercial farmers...
0:17:35 > 0:17:39- ..who made substantial profits - from rearing cattle.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- This may not look like - particularly fertile land...
0:17:43 > 0:17:48- ..but it was a highly efficient way - of turning resources into money.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54- Ty Mawr feels like a remote location - to us in this day and age.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58- It must have been even more remote - in the 16th century.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- No, to the contrary.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- Many of the drovers' roads from - east to west and north to south...
0:18:06 > 0:18:09- ..actually crossed each other - in this area.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- At the time when William Morgan, - the great translator, lived here...
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- ..the drovers' road - which headed east towards England...
0:18:19 > 0:18:22- ..passed in very close proximity - to his home.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45- How would people live in this house?
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- This would have been - a farmhouse kitchen.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- Everything happened here.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- Behind us here, - there's a large table.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58- It's the sort of piece - you'd see here.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03- There were platforms on either side, - where people could sleep.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- All the cooking was done - on the fire, of course.
0:19:07 > 0:19:13- A chain would come from the chimney - with a cooking pot hanging from it.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18- Curiously, they would cure or smoke - food in order to preserve it.
0:19:18 > 0:19:23- They'd smoke food by hanging it - from hooks inside the chimney.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- The windows aren't glazed...
0:19:25 > 0:19:30- ..but when this house was modified, - in the 16th century...
0:19:30 > 0:19:34- ..glass was being introduced - into the windows of houses.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38- Yes, glass became increasingly - important from the 1570s onwards.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- I'd expect to see glass - in large windows, such as this one.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- In a house with an open hearth...
0:19:46 > 0:19:51- ..it was important to have windows - opposite each other to draw smoke.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- It controlled the volume of smoke - in the house.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59- That's the origin - of the word "window" - wind eye.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10- On the first floor - of a Snowdonian house...
0:20:11 > 0:20:14- ..there is usually - a gable-end fireplace.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- This was the owner's main bedroom.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26- In some cases - the chamber is divided in two.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33- The combination of stone walls - and solid, good quality carpentry...
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- ..is one of the main features - of the Snowdonian house.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41- There are no timber-built - Snowdonian houses.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46- This hall house was modified - to make it fashionable.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53- The house we're about to see has - developed even further than Ty Mawr.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- We've reached Nant Gwynant - and this is Hafod Lwyfog.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- Although sturdy farmhouses - on a rugged landscape...
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- ..are a familiar sight - in this part of Wales...
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- ..Hafod Lwyfog - has a fascinating history.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22- It was a house of some status.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32- Hafod Lwyfog reflects the wealth - of Snowdonia in Tudor times.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37- It also points to the gentry's love - of demonstrating their wealth...
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- ..and of following - architectural trends.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45- This house stands in south Snowdonia - in the valley of Nant Gwynant.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- Hafod Lwyfog was the home - of Sir John Williams...
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- ..goldsmith to King James I.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00- It was also the home of Efan Llwyd, - high sheriff of Caernarvonshire.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05- The suggestion is that wealthy - people lived in this sort of house.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- Sir Clough Williams Ellis - bought this farm in 1936.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15- He wanted to protect the farmhouse - from damaging developments.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- Today, it's owned - by one of his descendants.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23- As we step into the hall, - we see the door was set to one side.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- We know the door - was here originally...
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- ..because of the style and quality - of the wood around here.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- Dendrochronology tests on the wood - date it to circa 1540...
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- ..which suggests - this was originally a hall house.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45- That was the hall - and this was the parlour, over here.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- There's a hint of the style - of the modification...
0:22:50 > 0:22:52- ..in the timber moulding.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56- We'll see much more of it - in the rest of the house.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04- This is the parlour, - the room with the smaller fireplace.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- There's a larger one - at the other end.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- Beyond the boxes and office - equipment, there's a real gem.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15- There's a hint of this new - decoration in the mantel edge.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20- It's far more prominent - on the ceiling beams.
0:23:21 > 0:23:27- We tend to think of this part - of Gwynedd as being rather remote.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30- It wasn't remote at all - 400 years ago.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- The high standard of decorative - touches on the timber...
0:23:34 > 0:23:38- ..suggests whoever lived here - kept up with architectural trends.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- The man who did the work - carved his name onto this beam.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47- Efan Llwyd Aedificavit 1638. - He's saying "I did this work".
0:23:47 > 0:23:53- A staircase in the dairy below - the parlour led to the house above.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- Hafod Lwyfog - is a four-storey house...
0:23:57 > 0:24:01- ..if we include the dairy in the - cellar and the bedroom in the attic.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06- Here's one feature of Snowdonian - houses which we haven't yet seen.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11- The stone staircase - which curls around the fireplace.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35- That stone staircase leads here, - to one of the chambers.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Unusually, - there are two staircases here.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44- That's the stone staircase which - we link with Snowdonian houses...
0:24:44 > 0:24:46- ..and this is a wooden staircase.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52- This space stretches all the way - from the dairy to the attic.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56- A staircase may have run - from top to bottom.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01- It's also possible the space was - filled by cupboards on each floor.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- It could even have been - a very early toilet.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10- The decoration here is as impressive - as it is on the ground floor.
0:25:10 > 0:25:16- The pattern carved into the beams - and on the dais screen are original.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24- As you step through the dais screen - and onto the landing...
0:25:24 > 0:25:28- ..what you see is the fruits - of Efan Llwyd's labour.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33- All the dais screens you see here - were created during that period.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38- It's rare to see 16th-century work - which has remained unaltered.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40- This is exceptional.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45- We see the same decorative touches - on all the panels.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- Unlike Ty Mawr Wybrnant...
0:25:48 > 0:25:52- ..there's a ceiling - on the first floor rooms.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- The servants - lived in the loft above it.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- The beams are blackened - with smoke...
0:26:00 > 0:26:04- ..which proves that it was - a hall house originally.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25- We're back where we started.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- That's the passage - and beyond it is the parlour.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30- This is the hall.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51- The computer graphics gave us - an idea of how the house looked.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- In the book, we have dozens - of illustrations...
0:26:55 > 0:26:59- ..which also give us an idea - of how different houses looked.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03- There's a cross-section - of a Snowdonian house...
0:27:03 > 0:27:05- ..which shows all the main features.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- The door set to one side, - the curving staircase...
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- ..the chimneys and the floor.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14- This is a comprehensive - illustration.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33- We've seen two Snowdonian houses - in their natural settings.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38- How does the Snowdonian house - develop from there?
0:27:43 > 0:27:44- .
0:27:45 > 0:27:45- 888
0:27:45 > 0:27:47- 888- - 888
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- Next, we visit Bryn Rodyn, - near Llan Ffestiniog...
0:28:10 > 0:28:15- ..a house which was built from - the outset as a storeyed dwelling.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19- Unlike Ty Mawr Wybrnant - and Hafod Lwyfog...
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- ..Bryn Rodyn was never a hall house.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28- This is the first Snowdonian house - we've seen in its original setting.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- Elinor, you were given the task...
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- ..of drawing up the plans - to renovate Bryn Rodyn.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37- Where does that process start?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- What procedures - must the owner follow?
0:28:40 > 0:28:42- The owners approached me...
0:28:43 > 0:28:46- ..and they asked me for assistance.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- I helped them draw up plans...
0:28:49 > 0:28:53- ..for listed buildings - planning consent.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58- This ancient screen is at the heart - of the restoration work.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02- It divides the two units - on the ground floor.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- To gain a better understanding - of the task...
0:29:06 > 0:29:11- ..an archaeological record - of the screens was commissioned.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- It bolstered - the planning consent application.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18- What problems does the screen raise?
0:29:18 > 0:29:20- The bottom plate is missing.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25- These acro props are supporting - the whole first floor structure.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31- I noticed that this doorway - was a modern opening.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34- We did some detective work...
0:29:34 > 0:29:38- ..to find out - where the original openings were.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- Those findings - form the basis of these plans.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- We checked - the archaeological record.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49- We also made enquiries - with the Royal Commission...
0:29:50 > 0:29:53- ..and with - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust...
0:29:53 > 0:29:58- ..and we're confident that there was - a splendid entrance into the hall.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01- It's large and it's rather grand.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06- It goes from here to that point.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- Will you add new timber - and make it obvious that it's new...
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- ..or will you try to blend it - into the original screen?
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- If you put new wood - in an old building...
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- ..I don't believe you should - try to make it look old.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24- Let people appreciate - the renovation.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38- I'm standing in the corner - of the main room - the hall.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- Behind me here - is the enormous main fireplace.
0:30:43 > 0:30:49- I'm facing the new kitchen, - which was added in the 17th century.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53- A hole in the external wall - gives access to the kitchen.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59- This is the first L-shaped, extended - Snowdonian house we've seen.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03- The stairs must be - 17th-century additions...
0:31:03 > 0:31:08- ..because this space was created - to give access to the stairs.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14- Without the kitchen door, there - would be no room for the stairs.
0:31:17 > 0:31:22- The lack of written evidence makes - dating ancient houses difficult.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27- Architectural historians use - a scientific technique to date wood.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33- Dendrochronology, or tree-ring - dating, has proved invaluable...
0:31:33 > 0:31:37- ..and the work is now - being carried out in Bryn Rodyn.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- We often hear it's possible...
0:31:42 > 0:31:46- ..to date a house - to the month it was built.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49- How is that possible?
0:31:49 > 0:31:53- We date the wood which was used - to construct the house.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58- We use the services - of dendrochronologists.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03- They're specialists and they examine - samples of the timber in the house.
0:32:04 > 0:32:09- They use a hollow drill bit - to extract a sample of the timber.
0:32:10 > 0:32:14- In an ideal world, the sample - comes with bark attached to it.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18- The bark tells us in which season - that tree was felled...
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- ..and we can date a house - to within two years.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- This sample was taken - from the mantel in Bryn Rodyn.
0:32:27 > 0:32:32- We need to see the rings more - clearly in order to measure them...
0:32:33 > 0:32:38- ..so the sample will be polished and - a computer will measure ring widths.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44- We'll be able to create a graph - using those measurements...
0:32:44 > 0:32:48- ..which we'll then match - to an existing pattern.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52- That's how we'll find out - when the tree was felled.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57- Does a wide ring mean the tree - grew a lot in that year?
0:32:57 > 0:33:00- Yes, a wide ring - means the tree had a good year...
0:33:01 > 0:33:04- ..with plenty of moisture - and plenty of heat.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09- If you have a dry year, - the rings are narrower.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12- This one's a real whopper!
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- Yes, it was a hot, wet year.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16- How do you use the results?
0:33:17 > 0:33:21- The Commission uses the results - to help us understand...
0:33:21 > 0:33:25- ..the chronology - of the development of houses.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30- With Snowdonian houses, we'll learn - how the designs changed over time.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34- In this house, - the samples taken from the wing...
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- ..should tell us whether it was - a much later addition...
0:33:38 > 0:33:42- ..or if it's almost as old - as the main house.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47- Dendrochronology helps us - learn more about houses.
0:33:50 > 0:33:55- The results of the dendrochronology - tests at Bryn Rodyn...
0:33:56 > 0:33:59- ..reveal it was built - between 1556 and 1560.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05- We know the rear wing - was built later.
0:34:05 > 0:34:11- Tests suggest the roof timbers were - recycled from an earlier period.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- Finally, and very interestingly...
0:34:15 > 0:34:19- ..the timber used for the mantel - dates back to 1503.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22- This suggests it was recycled.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35- Colonel John Jones Maesygarnedd - was born here.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39- He was a roundhead, a puritan, - a fervent Welshman...
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- ..and Oliver Cromwell's - brother-in-law.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47- Through that connection, he signed - the death warrant of King Charles I.
0:34:47 > 0:34:52- Dramatic changes came about - for the republican movement...
0:34:52 > 0:34:56- ..when the monarchy was restored - and Charles II was crowned.
0:34:57 > 0:35:02- It's said that John Jones rejected - the offer of a pardon...
0:35:02 > 0:35:06- ..as he felt to accept would mean - that he couldn't live with himself.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- He was hung, drawn and quartered - in London...
0:35:10 > 0:35:12- ..but he was born right here.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18- He also had links with a house - on the other side of the mountain.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- That house is Uwchlaw'r Coed.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28- John Jones lived here with his wife, - Katherine Whetstone...
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- ..Oliver Cromwell's sister.
0:35:30 > 0:35:35- It nestles above Artro woods - near Llanbedr, Meirionnydd.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44- You enter Uwchlaw'r Coed beneath - this huge, cyclopean door-head.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48- The date is cut - into the stone - 1585.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54- Some older Snowdonian houses were - dated through dendrochronology...
0:35:54 > 0:35:58- ..but this is the oldest - dated example of a Snowdonian house.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04- The date is also inscribed on what - remains of the passage partition.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06- Once again, it's dated 1585.
0:36:06 > 0:36:11- You can see where the partition - panels slotted into place.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15- There was a door there, - to create a cross-passage.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20- The staircase is still there, - behind this more recent wall...
0:36:20 > 0:36:24- ..which makes this - a classic Snowdonian house.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28- The amazing fact about this house is - that it was extended.
0:36:28 > 0:36:31- We know exactly - when it was extended.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35- If you remember Bryn Rodyn, - the kitchen formed an L-shape.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40- In this case, the house was extended - uphill, along the same line.
0:36:51 > 0:36:52- This is the extension.
0:36:53 > 0:36:54- I must watch my head!
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- This is the external wall - of the old house.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- There's evidence to suggest - there was a window here.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- It may have been a big window - or perhaps a small one.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- It could even have been a door.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- What we know for certain is - that it's an extension.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15- We know this extension - had been built by the year 1654.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18- The date on the beam suggests that.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22- We don't know why April 28th 1654 - was a significant date...
0:37:23 > 0:37:26- ..but it may commemorate - a birth or a marriage.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33- We have no details but this part - of the house was built by 1654.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- Rhian, you're a landscape historian.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50- Can you explain - what a landscape historian does?
0:37:50 > 0:37:52- It's a somewhat unusual job.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55- I'll explain - the field of my expertise.
0:37:57 > 0:38:02- I use the names of fields to unravel - the history of the landscape.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07- I research what was here in the past - and why the house was built.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12- The answers to those questions are - often in the names of the fields.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- Uwchlaw'r Coed, which means - Above the Woods, is a grand house...
0:38:18 > 0:38:21- ..which is indeed above the woods.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- I'd expect it to be closer to town.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- It's a good name because - it stands above Artro woods.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32- These were important woods - and this is an important location.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36- It's a splendid plot of land - on which to build a house.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39- For centuries, - it stood on a crossroads.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44- The main road from Harlech to London - passed Uwchlaw'r Coed.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- The stagecoach used that road.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50- How old is the name Uwchlaw'r Coed?
0:38:50 > 0:38:54- It's hard to tell - without seeing written records.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58- A record from 1610 describes - Uwchlaw'r Coed not as a house...
0:38:59 > 0:39:01- ..but as the name of an area.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- Houses and land - are mentioned in this record...
0:39:04 > 0:39:09- .."In a place called Llanenddwyn, - Uwchlaw'r Coed."
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- It's very common in Ardudwy.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- It was the name of an area.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19- The names of the fields on this map - are familiar...
0:39:19 > 0:39:22- ..but we perhaps don't know - what they mean.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- In the case of Uwchlaw'r Coed, - two Deuparth are noted.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30- Yes, Deuparth means two parts - of one area of land.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- When fields of the same name - border each other...
0:39:34 > 0:39:39- ..it's usually a case - of one large field divided into two.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- This may have been done...
0:39:42 > 0:39:46- ..because land had to be divided - when someone passed away.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48- It's fascinating.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52- Local farmers preserved - these ancient names.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56- They go back centuries - and they're still significant.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14- .
0:40:15 > 0:40:15- 888
0:40:15 > 0:40:17- 888- - 888
0:40:34 > 0:40:39- Our journey around Snowdonian houses - ends in Llanfair Isaf, Harlech.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- We can't say - we saved the best till last...
0:40:42 > 0:40:47- ..as they all have their merits, - but this is the hardest to read.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03- It looks like a Georgian house - from this vantage point.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07- The only clue to its true identity - is this door.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09- Where is the Snowdonian house?
0:41:12 > 0:41:17- There's a classic Snowdonian house - lurking beneath the surface.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- Look up and you can see - the roof level has been raised.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26- It was a low house, as you'd expect - in the 16th century...
0:41:26 > 0:41:28- ..when it was built.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- It was extended sideways.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35- There's a blind window over there.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38- That's in a more recent unit.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43- You can see from the pattern - of the stones that this is original.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47- The most significant feature - is this doorway...
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- ..with the upright stones.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51- It's typical of a Snowdonian house.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- The chimney on the top - is part of the original house.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59- The same can be said - of the chimney on the other gable.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- Scratch the surface - and you'll find a Snowdonian house.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- Let's step inside - the original house...
0:42:07 > 0:42:10- ..if you're sure - this is the original house!
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- We're familiar - with cross-passages...
0:42:21 > 0:42:26- ..but I can't work out which one - of these dais screens is original.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28- Maybe neither of them is original.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31- The left one isn't original...
0:42:32 > 0:42:36- ..but it's built on the line - of the original screen.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38- Behind it are the servants' room...
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- ..and a small parlour.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- This is a stone or brick wall.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48- The step at the top tells you - it doesn't fit under the beam.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50- It's certainly a later addition.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53- This was probably moved here.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56- In a Snowdonian house...
0:42:57 > 0:43:01- ..people entered through the door - into the cross-passage.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06- The servants' rooms and the parlour - were on that side and this was open.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11- The joists follow the same pattern - on both sides of the truss...
0:43:12 > 0:43:15- ..which suggests - this was one large room.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21- Let's look at another section - of this collection of buildings.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33- This is the last phase - of this collection of buildings.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36- It's the third of three units.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40- It looks far more primitive - than the others.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43- Is it older than the original house?
0:43:43 > 0:43:46- When I first came here, - that's what I thought.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51- It isn't older and - one of the reasons I say that...
0:43:52 > 0:43:56- ..is that it's built - in a hall house pattern.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58- Upon closer inspection...
0:43:58 > 0:44:03- ..of the far corner - and particularly of this corner...
0:44:03 > 0:44:07- ..you can see - it clearly abuts the original house.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10- It's certainly the oldest unit.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16- Dendrochronology tests show...
0:44:16 > 0:44:20- .. that this house was built - between 1535 and 1565.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24- Unlike the longhouses of the time, - which included a byre...
0:44:25 > 0:44:30- ..animals were kept in separate - buildings in a Snowdonian house.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- A unique feature of Llanfair Isaf - is that it's a unit system house.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44- A unit system means...
0:44:44 > 0:44:48- ..is that the main house - has domestic units attached to it.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52- In essence, that means - there are several houses here.
0:44:53 > 0:44:58- Upon the death of the landowner, his - wife moved out of the main house.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01- Their son and heir - would take over the farm...
0:45:01 > 0:45:04- ..and she'd move into another house.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09- It was known as - the cottage of the widow's third.
0:45:09 > 0:45:14- The widow moved out and took a third - of the farm's riches with her.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17- She owned that third for life.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21- This cottage - is abutted to the main house.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- They share - one corner of the building.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27- That's the only connection.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29- You can't walk through a wall.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32- To go from one to the other...
0:45:32 > 0:45:36- ..you went out of one door - and in through another door.
0:45:52 > 0:45:57- It's wonderful to be in here, just - to see the thickness of the walls...
0:45:57 > 0:46:01- ..and the beautiful stone wall - above the fireplace.
0:46:01 > 0:46:02- Was it ever storeyed?
0:46:03 > 0:46:07- Part of this house was storeyed - but this isn't one of them.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10- This was a hall - which was open to the roof.
0:46:11 > 0:46:16- There are no windows on what - would have been the first floor...
0:46:16 > 0:46:18- ..so it's unlikely it was storeyed.
0:46:19 > 0:46:23- That part of the unit, which lies - on the other side of this door...
0:46:23 > 0:46:28- ..it's likely there was a wall - to create a chamber above it.
0:46:29 > 0:46:33- A window which was once - a narrow door lies behind the door.
0:46:33 > 0:46:35- It led into a servant's room.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40- There's a gable window - in the chamber above here.
0:46:40 > 0:46:44- It would have been used as - a sleeping, cooking and living area.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- It may have been the granny flat - of its day!
0:46:49 > 0:46:51- It has everything you'd need.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- Another part of our - architectural odyssey...
0:47:10 > 0:47:14- ..inspired by Houses Of The Welsh - Countryside is over.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17- This step kept me - in one small corner of Wales.
0:47:20 > 0:47:25- A special kind of house was built - on the rugged Snowdonia landscape.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28- In a homogeneous age...
0:47:28 > 0:47:34- ..it's wonderful to celebrate - vernacular architecture...
0:47:34 > 0:47:36- ..which is deeply rooted - in the area.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43- We should all take immense pride - in Snowdonian houses.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones
0:48:15 > 0:48:16- .