0:00:00 > 0:00:00- 888
0:00:00 > 0:00:02- 888- - 888
0:00:05 > 0:00:07- 888
0:00:10 > 0:00:12- 888
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- 888
0:00:34 > 0:00:38- Houses boasting their owner's wealth - were built in every era...
0:00:39 > 0:00:44- ..but none more so - than the 17th century.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- You will see no finer examples...
0:00:47 > 0:00:51- ..than the houses - of the Welsh Marches.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58- These are elaborate - but very beautiful houses...
0:00:58 > 0:01:00- ..that owe their beauty to oak.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06- That's Powys oak, - from Montgomeryshire...
0:01:07 > 0:01:09- ..Radnorshire and Brecknockshire.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13- They're all close neighbours - of England.
0:01:19 > 0:01:25- Let's travel back to the time - of Guy Fawkes and the Civil War.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29- The days of Cromwell - and the execution of the king.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34- William Morgan's Welsh Bible - had just been published.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37- There were about 200 schools - in Wales...
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- ..with a similar number - of Welsh books available.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- Puritanism was a prevalent feature - of the century.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53- There was a strong reaction - to its negativity.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57- The houses which we'll visit - were part of that reaction.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- Eurwyn, Plasauduon looks out - over the valley.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10- It's a perfect location.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15- Yes, and it was erected here - for a reason.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18- They made sure - that everyone could see it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23- The farmer could also sit here - and look out over his fields...
0:02:23 > 0:02:25- ..the source of his wealth.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29- He enjoyed - looking at his bank balance!
0:02:29 > 0:02:33- This is the origin of this type - of building - the oak tree.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36- There were a lot of oak trees - in Powys.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41- Is that why there are so many - timber-framed houses in the county?
0:02:42 > 0:02:46- Yes, the traditional builder - always chose materials...
0:02:47 > 0:02:50- ..that were - readily available locally.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55- In Powys and the Marches, - oak was the natural choice.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- The oak is the king of the forest.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02- It was the most enduring tree - and it grew for centuries.
0:03:03 > 0:03:04- However, once it was felled...
0:03:05 > 0:03:10- ..it was used to build houses - that survived for centuries.
0:03:14 > 0:03:20- Imagine the work that it took - to turn this tree into that house.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- No plans on paper have survived.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- One very wise historian remarked...
0:03:26 > 0:03:32- ..that written plans are a portent - of a disappearing tradition.
0:03:33 > 0:03:38- The customer knew what he wanted - and the builder knew those needs.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43- The architect and the client - would have discussed the plans.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- Their vision - would come to life on the site.
0:03:47 > 0:03:53- In the past, when you moved house, - you could literally move your house.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56- People moved - and took their house with them.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- All you needed was a mallet - to knock out the pegs...
0:04:00 > 0:04:02- ..and you were away.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26- What makes Plasauduon - a typical Welsh Marches house?
0:04:27 > 0:04:28- Two main features.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32- First, the extensive use of oak - in the construction.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37- It was the norm in this area - and typical of the Marches house.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44- The second feature is the form, - which is unique to this area.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- This is known - as a lobby-entry house.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52- You enter the house through - an impressive, storeyed porch...
0:04:53 > 0:04:56- ..and you must then turn - either right or left.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00- The combination - of those two features...
0:05:01 > 0:05:07- ..make it a typical Montgomeryshire, - Denbighshire and Flintshire house.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16- Plasauduon, near Newtown, - was built in the mid 17th century...
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- ..after the Puritan age of Cromwell.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- It had a stone roof, - rather than a thatch.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26- It had two chimneys.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31- The central chimney - allowed access through a lobby.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36- Its classic oak frame made it - strong enough to last for centuries.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40- The whole house - was built on a stone foundation...
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- ..to prevent the timber rotting.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48- This masterpiece is the legacy - of an unknown local architect.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- The ceiling structure - is interesting.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- These two beams - stretch out to the corners.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- Yes, and you'll see this - inside the house too.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10- It's a technique of supporting - the upper floor of the porch.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- These dragon beams - stretch out to the corners...
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- ..and support the weight - of the floor above.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25- This decorative door-head - is another period feature.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30- This pattern is known as an ogee, - or Cupid's bow.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- It resembles puckered lips - and is beautiful.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37- This again was a display of wealth.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40- Almost half of this length of wood - was wasted.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- To the left of the lobby - is the parlour.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01- This is a splendid room, - with oak covering all four walls.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14- Were parlours common - in houses from this period?
0:07:15 > 0:07:20- This was the start of the fashion - for houses with a parlour.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25- The parlour was the height - of fashion in the mid 17th century.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- The family would retreat - to this room and relax.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32- This is the most private part - of the house.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36- Is all the wood in here original?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- Yes, I'd imagine so.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- If this isn't the exact panelling - that was here originally...
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- ..it's very similar - to the original panelling.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51- This was the golden age of oak.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- People were obsessed with timber.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- This is the first era - in which entire rooms were panelled.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03- You often see guardian figures - above the fireplace.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07- In addition to the porch - and the entrance to the house...
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- ..the fireplace - was a very important area.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17- All sorts of myths surround the - importance of guarding the hearth...
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- ..and guarding the house - from evil spirits and witches.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25- Tell me about the ceiling.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31- Was it common to see a ceiling - painted in such a vibrant colour?
0:08:32 > 0:08:33- Yes, it was very common.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38- This is a natural colour, - literally so in this instance.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42- Originally, it would have been - coloured with blood.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- It's a well-documented tradition.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47- The builder wasted nothing.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- They used the whole of the pig - apart from its squeal!
0:09:00 > 0:09:02- We'll leave the parlour...
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- ..which was, apparently, - once a court of law.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- Allegedly. - That's an important caveat!
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- We've now entered - the main room of the house.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- This is an even better example - of dragon beams.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- We can clearly see the relationship - between that truss...
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- ..and the beams that fork off it.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- It's a classic example - of dragon beams.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59- Is the pattern we see here - typical of this area?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- Yes, it's completely typical - of mid Wales.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- Even today, on the streets - of Aberaeron and Rhayader...
0:10:08 > 0:10:13- ..you still see this pattern - in pitched stone floors.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- This was very common in farmhouses - and cottages in this area.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- Thousands of stones - have been used here.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- This is a very rare - surviving example.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- Sleeping habits changed - during this period.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52- Upstairs bedrooms were created - for the first time.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57- The medieval tradition - of sleeping on the ground floor...
0:10:57 > 0:10:58- ..was gone for good.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03- One of the upstairs bedrooms - at Plasauduon is enormous.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15- The one above the porch - is relatively small.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24- The end of this moulding - is particularly interesting.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- We've already seen - the ogee moulding downstairs.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33- This is the other moulding - that dates from the same period.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34- This is ovolo moulding.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- We know that the Puritans - ran the show after the Civil War.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- They frowned - upon demonstrations of wealth.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- It seems as though some farmers - had saved their money for 25 years.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55- Little wonder that the Restoration - triggered a wave of building work.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01- We think that this house was built - very soon after the Restoration...
0:12:01 > 0:12:04- ..when Charles II came to power.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- It was probably built - very close to 1660.
0:12:09 > 0:12:16- That's suggested by the combination - of mouldings that we've found here.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- Plasauduon is a real gem.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30- Apart from a few features, - it has survived remarkably intact.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38- That isn't true - of all the houses we'll visit.
0:12:45 > 0:12:45- .
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0:12:48 > 0:12:50- 888- - 888
0:13:22 > 0:13:27- Rhyd-y-Carw is the embodiment - of Peter Smith's favourite houses.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- He is the author - of Houses Of The Welsh Countryside.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- If we look at the map - of oak-framed houses in the book...
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- ..it's clear that there was - a division in Wales.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- No oak-framed houses were built - to the west of Pumlumon.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- This beautiful black and white - building isn't far from Plasauduon.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- The pattern is quite similar.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08- The porch, for example, - is exactly like Plasauduon's.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14- The big difference between them - is that it has no central chimney.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16- It had one originally.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21- Chimneys were added - on both gables at some point.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- That would have been a big job.
0:14:24 > 0:14:29- Most of the house must have been - demolished in order to achieve it.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- This may be the most famous - black and white house of them all.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59- Gregynog.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- The home of the Davies family...
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- ..and once a popular destination - for the world's gentry.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- It is now an arts centre.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14- Incredibly, there's no wood at all - in the frame of this building.
0:15:15 > 0:15:16- It's made of concrete.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28- This is an interesting experiment.
0:15:28 > 0:15:33- Concrete from 1840 imitating - the style of two centuries earlier.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- This isn't Gregynog. - This is real timber.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- The oak you see here - is in excellent condition.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- This is Penarth, which isn't far - from Rhyd-y-Carw and Newtown.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09- The real points of interest for me - are the extensions on either side.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- They're almost like lean-tos.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16- They follow the roof line - all the way down...
0:16:17 > 0:16:22- ..but surely there was little need - to widen this magnificent house.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31- The next house we'll visit - is another wide, magnificent house.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38- Talgarth was built in 1660 - and it's wonderful.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- The timber in this house - is unpainted.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51- Have you ever seen - so much timber in one house?
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- I've given this house a headcount.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00- Between 250 and 300 mature trees - were felled to build the frame.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05- Five to seven acres of oak trees - were cleared to build one house.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09- That's amazing.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15- When you say mature, you mean - oak trees that are 150 years old?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19- Yes, the trees would have been - between 150 and 250 years old.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- Unlike Plasauduon, - this timber hasn't been painted.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- That's right. - Black tar wasn't used here.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- Victorians thought - that tar preserved wood...
0:17:33 > 0:17:37- ..but this has been left - to breathe and it has lasted well.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45- How long would it take - to build a house like this?
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- We have a copy of the contract...
0:17:48 > 0:17:53- ..drawn up between the carpenter - and Sir John Wynn.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58- It stated that it had to be built - within a certain timeframe.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- Things haven't changed much - since those days.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06- The carpenter also had to promise - not to move on to another job...
0:18:06 > 0:18:09- ..before this house was completed.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- From start to finish, it took - six months to build this house.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17- A good group of carpenters - would have worked in the yard.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20- It wasn't constructed here.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- A house this big - was constructed in a yard?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- Yes, as we'll see - when we step inside.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33- This was delivered to the site - in between 500 and 1,000 pieces.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- Every section was marked - and the pieces slotted together.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- These windows are interesting.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- Yes, they're quite unusual.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- They look like the windows - on old galleons.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57- Yes, there were oriel windows - like these on the Mary Rose.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- This is what you'd have seen - looking up at the Mary Rose.
0:19:11 > 0:19:17- The British Navy built a memorial - a stone's throw from Talgarth...
0:19:17 > 0:19:21- ..in recognition - of its fleet's debt to Welsh oak.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- Inside, a similar sight greets us - to the one that at we saw outside.
0:19:36 > 0:19:42- The carpenter's marks are visible - on the close-studded framework.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47- Number VII is joined - to number VII above it.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- The house came to the site - in hundreds of pieces.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57- They used Roman numerals - to mark the pieces.
0:20:25 > 0:20:30- Up here, in the attic, we can see - the timber at its magnificent best.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35- There are no decorative touches. - It's plain and simple.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39- It's all about function.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44- Look at the floor and you'll see - some interesting marks.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- Someone used a chisel - or an axe here.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- This is how I think - these marks were created.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- You, as the chief carpenter...
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- ..would call down to a lowly servant - and ask for more pegs.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- I'd say, "Yes, sir. - Right away, sir."
0:21:03 > 0:21:08- I'd sharpen the end of the peg - and hand it to the chief carpenter.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12- That leaves marks on the wood...
0:21:15 > 0:21:20- ..just like the marks you see - on this ancient piece of wood.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26- The wave pattern here...
0:21:27 > 0:21:32- ..was created by a chisel - such as this one.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- This would have been done - in the yard, of course.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41- The bark of the oak was removed - with a chisel such as this one.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46- This is how it was used.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48- It's a sharp chisel.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- Your toes are at risk on that job!
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- Yes, but I'm wearing steel toecaps.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- I made sure of that.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- This gives you an idea - of the technique used.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- This is exactly what you see here.
0:22:12 > 0:22:13- Scalloped edges.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- Let's look at the Mary Rose window.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25- I'd like to think that the carpenter - and his apprentice stood here...
0:22:25 > 0:22:27- ..over 300 years ago...
0:22:27 > 0:22:32- ..and the owner stood at the bottom - and gave them the thumbs up.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- The topping out ceremony.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36- The topping out ceremony.- - That's right.
0:22:46 > 0:22:46- .
0:22:49 > 0:22:49- 888
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- 888- - 888
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- At first glance, Aberbechan - is rooted in the 17th century.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- Upon closer inspection...
0:23:21 > 0:23:25- ..some features point - to a more complicated history.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48- I'm toying with the idea - that this was once a hall house.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- It was then remodelled - into a lobby-entry house...
0:23:53 > 0:23:57- ..by adding the chimney - and building a new cross-wing.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04- The early hall house and an extension - that was built soon afterwards.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10- Very little has changed here since - the second half of the 17th century.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15- These chevrons in the timber frame - are aesthetically pleasing.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20- They're also essential - to the structure of the house.
0:24:21 > 0:24:26- Whoever designed these houses - were more than carpenters.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- They worked within - a 300-year-old tradition...
0:24:30 > 0:24:35- ..and were experts - on structurally-solid construction.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55- Let's look at the lower gable.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00- This chimney is only connected - to the rest of the building...
0:25:00 > 0:25:02- ..through the fireplace.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04- Yes, it's an unusual chimney.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10- Adding a chimney to a timber-framed - house isn't the wisest thing to do!
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Timber frames and fireplaces - aren't a good combination.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- That's why they left a gap - between them.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22- I really like the way - they've painted the top section.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25- It fools no-one from this close...
0:25:26 > 0:25:30- ..but it looks like a timber frame - from a distance.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- They've tried to trick the eye - in several places.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40- Bricks painted white and black - to look like timber.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44- This was fashionable - in the Georgian period.
0:25:44 > 0:25:49- Even the downpipes are camouflaged - to suit the black and white image.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56- This is a magnificent screen...
0:25:56 > 0:26:00- ..but there's been - a lot of jiggery-pokery here.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- Yes, that's what happens - over the centuries.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08- First and foremost, I think - that it's an original dais screen.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10- It's an oak screen.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14- Both panels and posts - are oak in this section.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16- It's a display of wealth.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19- It uses more oak and less plaster.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- A section at the far end - has been plastered.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- I suspect that the doorway - may have been there originally.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- There's a remnant of something - at the top of the screen.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- There may have been - a door there too.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Origimally, there may - have been doors at both ends.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- It's very important - that you see this.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50- Oh, it's a cruck.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51- That's right.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- We're standing - at the foot of a cruck.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58- This propped up the gable - of the oldest part of the house...
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- ..which is behind us.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05- That in itself dates it - back to late medieval times.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09- This is older than the chimney - and the other additions.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- It dates from the time - that it was a hall house.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- It's clear where the money - was spent in here.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Yes, they spent big on the ceiling.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- This was the parlour - in the later house.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47- This is wonderful.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- The shapes of the chamfers - are quite elegant.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58- Yes, they're more decorative - than the ones in the previous room.
0:27:59 > 0:28:06- It suggests a later period, - but only a few years.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- Aberbechan is a house - that spans two periods.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- The late medieval period - and the 17th century.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38- It was originally a hall house - but was then modified.
0:28:43 > 0:28:48- Unlike Plasauduon, which has - retained its original floor plan...
0:28:48 > 0:28:52- ..this house has developed - over two or three generations.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55- It became - a typical Welsh Marches house.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25- Trewern was built in 1610 - by Roger Francis.
0:29:26 > 0:29:32- Everyone who came along the valley - could see and admire the house.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36- It's one of the grandest houses - in the area.
0:29:50 > 0:29:55- Look at how the carved bressummers - support the jettied upper floor.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58- This was 17th century - decorative work at its best.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- The view from the house reminds us - how close Trewern is to England.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08- That's Breidden Hill, - which is on the border.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16- Abernodwydd isn't as grand - but follows the same pattern.
0:30:16 > 0:30:22- It's now a beautiful yet understated - St Fagans attraction.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- Tell me about Abernodwydd's history.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- Abernodwydd - is an interesting building.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40- It's one of my favourites.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44- When it came here, - it had a corrugated iron roof.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- The timber frame on the gable - was masked by stone.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- This was originally a hall house.
0:30:54 > 0:31:00- It was built in 1678 or thereabouts - for a man called Rhys Evan.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03- When was it converted - into a lobby-entry house?
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- Probably one generation later.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13- We assume that the decision was made - by Evan Rhys, Rhys Evan's son.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19- The house was modernized in 1708, - 30 years after it was built.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- What evidence did you find in here?
0:31:53 > 0:31:57- When we started the work - of dismantling the house...
0:31:57 > 0:32:00- ..we made a discovery - beneath the floor.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05- Remains of the original 1678 floor - were found under this floor.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- The hearth - was in the middle of the floor.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- As it would have been - in a hall house.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14- When the hall house was adapted...
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- ..the fireplace was moved - to this location.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- What materials were used here?
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- The fireback is made of stone.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- The rest of the structure - is timber-framed and made of oak.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- The screen has been formed - to create a settle.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- You can sit inside the fireplace - to keep warm.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41- I imagine that you needed to sit - near the fire on a winter's day.
0:32:42 > 0:32:47- The wind whistled through the house - because the windows weren't glazed.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- You could get warm - inside the fireplace.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36- What other evidence is there - that it was originally a hall house?
0:33:36 > 0:33:41- The best evidence is that it was - modified into a storeyed house.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45- This beam supports both the ceiling - and the upper floor.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51- Propping up the beam is a post, - which was added to the framework.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56- As you can see, the post has been - pegged into the original framework.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03- Had this been original, - it would be part of the framework.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07- Yes, it would be part - of the original timber frame.
0:34:11 > 0:34:17- Aided by St Fagans, father and son - Rhys Evan and Evan Rhys...
0:34:18 > 0:34:21- ..left a simple yet striking legacy.
0:34:32 > 0:34:32- .
0:34:35 > 0:34:35- 888
0:34:35 > 0:34:37- 888- - 888
0:34:39 > 0:34:41- XYLOPHONE MUSIC
0:34:45 > 0:34:48- I rarely arrive at a house - to hear live music.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58- That's what happened when I met - Paul, Esgair-geiliog's owner.
0:35:10 > 0:35:15- There are signs of remodelling - on the front of the house.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20- The wall filling has changed - from wattle to bricks.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24- There are a few breeze blocks - over there too.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- The framework - is still mostly wood.
0:35:28 > 0:35:34- The addition of the two gabled bays - are the most obvious modifications.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38- There's one on the right - and a larger one on the left.
0:35:38 > 0:35:43- From here, - we can see the decorative woodwork.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45- They're almost quatrefoils.
0:35:46 > 0:35:51- They're purely decorative - but are magnificent.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- This is a 17th century - clapboard gable.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12- It's typical of this area - and of early houses in America.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18- These houses were extended - for several reasons.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23- People wanted the increased privacy - that upstairs bedrooms offered...
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- ..but they also stored grain - in the house.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31- Houses were extended - in order to make that possible.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35- This bridge was used to carry grain - to and from the house.
0:36:40 > 0:36:45- The room in which grain - was once stored is now a bedroom.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04- I'm stepping through the screen, - which is marked with paint.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07- Flowers have been painted - onto the wood.
0:37:08 > 0:37:14- This was a tradition among those - who couldn't afford tapestries.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17- It was cheaper - to commission an artist...
0:37:18 > 0:37:23- ..to paint the designs you'd see - on tapestries onto screen panels.
0:37:41 > 0:37:47- Esgair-geiliog's main attraction - is this beautiful wooden chimney...
0:37:50 > 0:37:52- ..and the glorious crucks.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- We can see the house's history - in this room.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09- The arch you see here - is formed by the apex of the crucks.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- It tells us - that this was a hall house.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18- You wouldn't add mouldings to crucks - unless you could see them.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- This was visible from the hall - and there was no floor here.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28- Fast forward to the 17th century - and this timber chimney.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32- It belongs to the time - when the house was remodelled.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36- There are wattle and daub panels - around the chimney.
0:38:36 > 0:38:42- That's what creates the funnel - that extracts smoke from the house.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46- If we look at the book - Houses Of The Welsh Countryside...
0:38:46 > 0:38:50- ..we see that most of the examples - of timbered fireplaces...
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- ..are located in Montgomeryshire.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57- There are a few others - dotted around the place...
0:38:57 > 0:39:00- ..but most are in this county.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- We've reached the journey's end.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16- Every house thus far has been - within a 20-mile radius of Newtown.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- Plas yn Pentre is further north, - near Llangollen, Denbighshire.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- What an impressive house.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36- The house has stood - in its current form since 1634.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42- At first glance, - it has an Elizabethan feel.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46- That isn't the case, - as we're about to discover.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- You must think that we have - undermined our own theory.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58- Where is the door - and where is the lobby?
0:39:58 > 0:40:00- There's no sign of it.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05- The door was moved over there. - The house has sagged here.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09- If we go inside the house, - you'll see what I mean.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28- As I suspected, - there's the fireplace.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34- If the door were here originally, - the fireplace would be here...
0:40:34 > 0:40:35- ..but it's over there.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- I deduce from this - that the front door was there.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51- If the front door was here, - this would be the lobby.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55- You'd walk in and see a wall - created by the chimney.
0:40:55 > 0:40:59- A closer look reveals a moulding - and the end of a chamfer.
0:41:00 > 0:41:01- There it is, at the bottom.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06- It goes all the way up to here.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12- This was the frame of the old door - leading to that part of the house.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- This interesting photo - of Plas yn Pentre...
0:41:18 > 0:41:21- ..was taken in 1952 - by the Royal Commission.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25- It seems that the exterior walls - were rendered in Georgian times.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- What we see here - is renovated render.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- The render was stripped away - in the late 20th century.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42- There's something interesting - about the small window on the right.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- The house today - looks much as it did in 1634...
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- ..apart from the door's location - and the added wing on the left.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- If we look at the moulding - on the beams...
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- ..and refer to the book...
0:42:13 > 0:42:16- ..we see that it's Jacobean, - from around 1620.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20- If we go next door, - we can see painted gesso.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24- That was fashionable - shortly after that period.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- Look at the decorative work - on this beam.
0:42:30 > 0:42:31- It's wonderful.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36- An element of painting - has happened here.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39- That's significant.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44- When ceilings were plastered, - the beams would also be whitened.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47- The moulding work - is particularly beautiful.
0:42:47 > 0:42:52- It shows the status of the person - who commissioned this house.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56- They could afford to pay craftsmen - to do this work.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00- There are echoes of a coat of arms - in the plasterwork.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06- The head was associated with both - the Trevor and Edwards families.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10- This plasterwork is typical - of Denbighshire.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21- There was a farm here originally - that belonged to Valle Crucis Abbey.
0:43:22 > 0:43:26- After the dissolution - of the monasteries...
0:43:26 > 0:43:29- ..the land was passed - to William Edwards.
0:43:29 > 0:43:33- He worked as a steward - to the last abbot of the abbey.
0:43:33 > 0:43:37- It's believed that he erected - the first building on this site.
0:43:38 > 0:43:43- The Edwards family was an old family - that held onto the Catholic faith.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50- Let's make our way to the top floor.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- There's a priest's hole up here.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55- Is there really?
0:43:58 > 0:44:00- Yes, it's behind this panel.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04- Oh, that's amazing!
0:44:04 > 0:44:06- It looked like part of the wall.
0:44:07 > 0:44:08- Let me peek inside.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11- Well, it really is wonderful.
0:44:11 > 0:44:16- There's just enough room - for one person, maybe two, to hide.
0:44:16 > 0:44:21- Holes like this were essential - for the recusant community.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26- It was illegal - to harbour a priest in your house.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34- After the 1570s, we know - that many Jesuits came to Britain.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38- They had been trained - on the Continent...
0:44:38 > 0:44:43- ..and came to Wales - to reconvert people to Catholicism.
0:44:44 > 0:44:49- Catholic families would hide them - in priest's holes such as this.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03- There has been a house here - since 1282...
0:45:03 > 0:45:06- ..during the heyday - of Valle Crucis Abbey.
0:45:06 > 0:45:10- Drastic alterations - weren't made until 1634.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- The eastern gable explains much...
0:45:24 > 0:45:28- ..about the way the house - was extended over the centuries.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31- If we look - at the original timber frame...
0:45:31 > 0:45:34- ..it goes from there to here.
0:45:37 > 0:45:38- That makes perfect sense.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42- The windows, such as they were, - would have been here.
0:45:44 > 0:45:48- If we look up this line, - we'll see the first addition.
0:45:49 > 0:45:52- The dormer, - which is the triangle at the top.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55- This is the most recent extension.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59- It gives you - an additional attic room.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10- As with all old houses, - time has left its mark.
0:46:10 > 0:46:14- Plas yn Pentre - needs some restoration.
0:46:21 > 0:46:26- This is a magnificent example - of a black and white house.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31- It represents - the ambitions of a family.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34- It's beautiful.
0:46:34 > 0:46:35- It's beautiful.- - Yes, amazingly so.
0:46:36 > 0:46:41- It's a large and magnificent house, - but it doesn't feel too formal.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45- It's cosy and I could live here!
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- It's wonderful.
0:46:51 > 0:46:56- The Welsh Marches' oak-framed houses - are a visual delight.
0:46:56 > 0:47:00- They're an integral part - of Welsh visual art.
0:47:11 > 0:47:16- The houses of the Welsh Marches - were the favourite houses...
0:47:16 > 0:47:21- ..of Peter Smith, the author - of Houses Of The Welsh Countryside.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones