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0:00:26 > 0:00:29- The Longhouse
0:00:37 > 0:00:42- Our odyssey around the houses - of the Welsh countryside continues.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49- In this programme, we look - at what many consider to be...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- ..the quintessential Welsh house.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05- It fits perfectly in our landscape.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- It's so familiar that it almost - symbolizes our heritage and culture.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23- The earliest reference to it - comes from the 13th century...
0:01:23 > 0:01:26- ..in one of the tales - of the Mabinogion.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32- "When they came near to the house, - they saw an old hall...
0:01:33 > 0:01:38- "..very black and having an upright - gable, whence issued a great smoke.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44- "On entering, they found the floor - full of puddles and mounds...
0:01:44 > 0:01:48- "..and it was difficult - to stand thereon...
0:01:48 > 0:01:52- "..so slippery was it - with the mire of cattle.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55- "When they came - to the hall of the house...
0:01:56 > 0:02:00- "..they beheld cells full of dust - and very gloomy...
0:02:00 > 0:02:03- "..and on one side - an old hag making a fire.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08- "Whenever she felt cold, she cast - a lapful of chaff upon the fire...
0:02:08 > 0:02:12- "..and raised such smoke - that it was scarcely to be borne...
0:02:13 > 0:02:15- "..as it rose up the nostrils."
0:02:22 > 0:02:27- A longhouse is a farmhouse - and a byre under one long roof.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32- The roots of the longhouse - lie in several European countries.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43- There were hundreds of longhouses - in Wales by the 19th century.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- Most of the longhouses - have now disappeared.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01- Some are ruins and others have been - converted into 21st century homes.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03- Some stand in museums, of course.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- The history is complicated.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13- The way longhouses were built - and the way people lived in them...
0:03:13 > 0:03:18- ..question whether the longhouse - really is the Welsh house.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43- The history of the longhouse - starts long ago and far from Wales.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- Buildings in which a farmer and - his cattle live under one roof...
0:03:56 > 0:04:00- ..date back to the Bronze Age - in mainland Europe.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- Archaeological excavations - in Scandinavia...
0:04:04 > 0:04:08- ..prove that long buildings - have existed for centuries.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13- The Vikings may have introduced - these buildings to Wales...
0:04:13 > 0:04:17- ..when they arrived here - in the first century.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25- Over the centuries, people - from across Europe came here...
0:04:25 > 0:04:29- ..and influenced - every aspect of Welsh life.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31- This included architecture.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37- This building in Cosmeston, Penarth, - isn't a traditional Welsh longhouse.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- It is, however, - an interesting precedent...
0:04:40 > 0:04:45- ..that reflects the origins - of the form that became popular.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- The house - was part of a medieval village...
0:04:48 > 0:04:53- ..that grew around the fortified - manor of the Constentin family.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57- They were among - the first Norman invaders of Wales.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03- The village's design may owe - as much to Continental influence...
0:05:03 > 0:05:06- ..as to Welsh or British influence.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Some of these homes - are completely Norman in their form.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21- This is a reconstruction, - based on archaeological evidence.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- The building - is one long, low unit...
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- ..entered via a cross-passage - at one end.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- Years ago, the livestock - would be out in the fields.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- The pigs would be - in the beehive pigsties...
0:05:35 > 0:05:39- ..that have been reconstructed - at the rear.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43- The 14th century - was a troubled time in Wales.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- Livestock had to be protected - against theft.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50- The best way to guard the animals...
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- ..was to keep them - under the same roof as the owner.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02- No evidence was found - of internal walls.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06- The only things - dividing stock from the family...
0:06:06 > 0:06:08- ..were movable hurdles.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15- The bed and the fire - were at this end of the building...
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- ..and the livestock - was kept at the far end.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24- This lack of partition walls - is the biggest difference...
0:06:24 > 0:06:29- ..between early examples - and classic medieval longhouses.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45- This small community in South Wales - was destroyed...
0:06:45 > 0:06:49- ..when Black Death spread - like wildfire across the land.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- Life disappeared, - leaving nothing but ruins.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16- The longhouse is an architectural - form that developed over time.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22- Its roots often lie - in pre-existing hall houses.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31- This is the next stage - in the development of the longhouse.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36- What we have here in Llangwathan - is a hall house of real status.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- It's divided into four units.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41- Livestock was kept - in the bottom unit.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46- The next unit, which now houses - the front door, was the hall.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- The cross-wing - is at the top of the house.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- It looks solid today...
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- ..but it was originally - a timber-framed house.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00- That frame was covered in stones - at a later date.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12- The house was built soon after - the Owain Glyndwr rebellion.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- Few houses were built - during this period...
0:08:19 > 0:08:24- ..but Llangwathan near Hay-on-Wye - is a great example of a hall house.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52- According to the Royal Commission - and thanks to dendrochronology...
0:08:52 > 0:08:55- ..we know that this house - was built in 1417.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57- It was originally a hall house.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- There was no wall here - and no ceiling above my head.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07- There was a wattle and daub wall - to keep back the animals.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12- In the late 16th century, this wall - was added to house the fireplace.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15- This door was also added - at that time.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- This had two main benefits.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- The householders - now had a good heat source...
0:09:22 > 0:09:26- ..and it created a cross-passage, - with doors at either end...
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- ..one for animals - and one for humans.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- It also separated - the livestock from the humans.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- It's obvious that cattle lived - under the same roof as humans here.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43- The tethering post can be seen - at the bottom end of the building.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- This is the original hall.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- This room would have been - open to the roof, of course.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- There would have been - an open hearth on the floor.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57- When this fireplace was built...
0:09:57 > 0:10:02- ..the floor and the beamed ceiling - were also added.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07- The screens created two rooms - - a parlour and a dairy.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10- This also became a storeyed house.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14- The way people lived here - was transformed.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21- Two new staircases were built - to create more private chambers.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- This separated owners from servants.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28- Local craftsmen - carried out the work...
0:10:28 > 0:10:33- ..and they used materials - taken from local fields and rivers.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- This timber-framed house was clad - in stone in the late 19th century.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45- What is the nature of the stone?
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- Where did it come from, John?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- We don't know - because it has been painted.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56- It's likely that most of the stones - used in these walls...
0:10:56 > 0:11:00- ..came from the fields - around this house.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- They may have come - from some very local quarries.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08- It's actually sandstone - but not red sandstone...
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- ..which you also find locally.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15- It's green-grey sandstone. - There's some around the corner.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18- The roof is interesting.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23- The roof tiles come - from the hill behind the house.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25- You can see it from here.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Most of the stones - came from the river.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32- And, of course, - in the river channel...
0:11:32 > 0:11:38- ..you found a mixed stone, - which is made of pebbles.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- When the channel flow moved away...
0:11:44 > 0:11:46- ..sandstone was formed.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- The flow once went in this direction - but then it changed.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58- These stones show the direction - of the flow of the water.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03- The evidence gleaned - from fossils found in the stones...
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- ..show that the sea - flooded the land periodically.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- It's a new story - and we're working on that.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- We're about to enter the old hall.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31- What's in here, John?
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- Look at what's beneath your feet.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38- The surface of the flagstones - isn't always smooth.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- You can see waves on some of them.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47- They're waves that were created - on the river bed.
0:12:47 > 0:12:53- The fireplace shows marks - created by waves.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- It tells us that this large section - of stone...
0:13:05 > 0:13:07- ..comes from the same area.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- Rather than take a horizontal layer - from the bottom of the river...
0:13:14 > 0:13:18- ..they cut it vertically, - to provide a strong mantel.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30- This house is an example of how - early hall houses were modified.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- The house functioned - in a different way.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- A new building method - and a new way of life were created.
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0:14:15 > 0:14:19- So many examples of peasant houses - have disappeared...
0:14:21 > 0:14:23- ..that it's hard to say - with certainty...
0:14:23 > 0:14:28- ..what form the traditional - medieval Welsh farmhouse took.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33- We do have evidence that building - longhouses was a middle-class trend.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38- That's also true of converting - existing houses into longhouses...
0:14:38 > 0:14:40- ..in the 15th century.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48- This is the only longhouse plan - to which we can refer.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54- Nannerth Ganol, in the Elan Valley, - is a perfect example of it.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04- The original house was built - on the mountain slopes in 1556.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12- Humans and livestock - shared the one entrance.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- As you entered the house...
0:15:15 > 0:15:18- ..you walked past the byre - to reach the main hall.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- The open hearth was located - in the centre of the room.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- The private chambers - were at the top of the house.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36- The owners slept there.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46- The livestock slept under the same - roof, at the lower end of the house.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52- They were protected - from the elements and from thieves.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- Then, in 1660, - a substantial fireplace was built...
0:15:56 > 0:15:58- ..between the hall and the byre.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02- A stone staircase wound its way - around the fireplace...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06- ..leading to the floor - above the old hall.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- Creating a new floor and bedrooms - was truly revolutionary.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16- It satisfied a new desire - for additional privacy.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25- An impressive square, stone chimney - transformed Nannerth Ganol.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30- It declared to everyone in the area - that this was a house of status.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41- The Royal Commission on the Ancient - and Historical Monuments of Wales...
0:16:42 > 0:16:46- ..considers Nannerth Ganol to be - among our most important longhouses.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49- It's special for two reasons.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52- It's special, architecturally.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- It preserves evidence - for two main phases.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- It's the perfect longhouse.
0:16:58 > 0:17:04- Secondly, it preserves its setting, - unlike any other longhouse in Wales.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- It's set above the enclosed fields, - on the spring line...
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- ..just before the steep climb - up the mountain.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- They produced as much hay - as they could down there...
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- ..to feed the cattle - over the winter.
0:17:19 > 0:17:26- When Nannerth Ganol was built, - this valley was relatively affluent.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- What generated that money?
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- It's money from cattle. - Money from the beef trade.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- Essentially, selling cattle - to the English market...
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- ..and generating enough money - to pay craftsmen real cash...
0:17:40 > 0:17:42- ..to build a house like this.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- The transformation - of Nannerth Ganol...
0:18:00 > 0:18:04- ..was a public declaration of wealth - from its owners.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- That doesn't tell the full story.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- This beautiful house - has an ugly history.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21- It's a story that shatters - its romantic image...
0:18:21 > 0:18:26- ..and one that highlights - the nature of life in this area...
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- ..during the 16th century.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36- Cattle rustling was a common crime - across Wales in the 16th century.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40- According to Tudor records...
0:18:41 > 0:18:45- ..over 60,000 thieves - were prosecuted during the era.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48- Over 4,000 of those convicted - were hanged.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- Wales was famous - for its incorrigible thieves.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- We're looking across - towards Nannerth Ganol.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- Its owners - were notorious cattle rustlers.
0:19:04 > 0:19:09- The father and two of his sons, - Thomas and Edward, were thieves.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- The father was executed in 1560.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18- Another factor about this area...
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- ..is that it lies - on the drovers' road to England.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26- Cattle were driven along these roads - to be sold at market...
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- ..in places like Barnet - and Ashford.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- The animals were sold for beef.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36- This was a great opportunity - to turn cattle into cash.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- Absolutely no questions were asked.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- Did proceeds from cattle rustling...
0:19:53 > 0:19:58- ..finance the professionally-built - house and byre at Nannerth Ganol?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- Cattle rustling was very common - at the time.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21- The local Tudor administrators - were tired of it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:26- Rowland Lee, the president - of the Council of the Marches...
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- ..famously said of the Welsh...
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- .."Thieves I found them - and thieves I leave them."
0:20:32 > 0:20:36- In other words, - thieves are thieves, no matter what.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- We can never prove how the building - of Nannerth Ganol was financed.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50- But we do know for certain - that it is a classic longhouse.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- It offered its owners - a new lifestyle...
0:20:57 > 0:21:01- ..with is cross-passage separating - humans from their animals.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- It had a fireplace and chimney - with stairs winding around it...
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- ..and new bedrooms - on the first floor.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- It was a sweeping change.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25- Over the centuries, Nannerth Ganol - went to rack and ruin.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30- The byre was lost and the house - was about to be demolished.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40- Then, in the 1930s, - Dr Iorwerth Peate came across it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47- Iorwerth Peate was a poet - and a scholar from Llanbrynmair.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- He was the first curator of - St Fagans National History Museum.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56- He was the first person to note...
0:21:56 > 0:22:01- ..Nannerth Ganol's architectural - and historical importance.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- In his book The Welsh House...
0:22:04 > 0:22:09- ..Iorwerth Peate strove to record - the architectural history of Wales.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- He suggests that the longhouse - is the Welsh house...
0:22:13 > 0:22:17- ..and that Nannerth Ganol - is the perfect example of it.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22- This wasn't exactly a missing link, - but it was a key house.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26- He was able to define some - of the features of the longhouse...
0:22:26 > 0:22:28- ..from Nannerth Ganol.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- He showed that a longhouse...
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- ..had the dwelling - and the cow-house in one range.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- That showed - the intimate relationship...
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- ..between people and cattle.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44- People depended on their cattle - and really looked after them.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52- Mainly through Peate's work, - the longhouse could be defined...
0:22:53 > 0:22:57- ..using a set of architectural - and social rules.
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0:23:17 > 0:23:22- The Royal Commission on the Ancient - and Historical Monuments of Wales.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- What are the essential features - of a longhouse?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- What are the rules for a longhouse?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- It must be long and it must be low.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- It must have a cross-passage...
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- ..just like the example I have here.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- There must be a door at both ends...
0:23:40 > 0:23:43- ..so that people and livestock - can go in and out.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47- That would then be the only entrance - to the house.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51- The byre must be at the lower end - to make it easier to muck out.
0:23:51 > 0:23:57- The back of the central chimney must - form one side of the cross-passage.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- Those are the simple rules.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- Only middle-class dwellings - have survived...
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- ..but these rules may well have also - been followed in peasant houses.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- Those peasant houses - have disappeared, unfortunately.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16- One house that displays - all those features is Gilfach.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- Gilfach is a classic longhouse...
0:24:24 > 0:24:29- ..from the same period and area - as Nannerth Ganol.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- It was originally a mid-16th century - upland hall house.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38- It was modernized and converted - into a storeyed house...
0:24:38 > 0:24:42- ..with a central fireplace - and a cross-passage in around 1600.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48- It makes a very strong statement. - This is a really big house.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- It's certainly a big building.
0:24:52 > 0:24:58- It was financed by the proceeds - of rearing and selling livestock.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- The stone roof - is certainly a status symbol.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08- The stones get gradually larger - as you go from top to bottom.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- There was a practical reason, - as it helps water flow...
0:25:12 > 0:25:18- ..but it alters your perspective - and makes the roof seem much bigger.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22- The Welsh uplands - were wealthy areas.
0:25:22 > 0:25:27- It wasn't evident - because the land seemed untreated.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31- Rearing animals commercially - was a lucrative business...
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- ..during the 16th - and 17th centuries.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40- Those proceeds were then reinvested - in properties in the areas.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- Maybe we should look at the byre...
0:25:43 > 0:25:48- ..the home of the cattle - that generated this farmer's wealth.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15- According to the usual pattern - of the longhouse...
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- ..I'd expect this - to be a cross-passage...
0:26:19 > 0:26:21- ..because there's a door - at either end of it.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24- Yes, but that door - is a later addition.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- The original entrance - was behind us, over here.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- The main entrance to the house - was behind that piece of furniture.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40- You would turn at the entrance - and come in, past the chimney.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44- That was a very convenient layout, - of course.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48- When the farmer tended to his cattle - in the winter...
0:26:48 > 0:26:52- ..it was easy to leave the house - and come to feed them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- How were upland people perceived?
0:26:57 > 0:27:00- People who made a living - from rearing livestock...
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- ..were seen as people - who were animals themselves.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11- There are cartoons of Welsh people - who look like goats...
0:27:12 > 0:27:17- ..simply because the Welsh - were involved with pastoral farming.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- People who grew crops - were perceived rather differently.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- They cultured the land...
0:27:24 > 0:27:29- ..and were thought of - as rather more cultured people.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33- Ultimately, I think it's fair to say - that money talks.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- This is a prime example of that.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45- This wealth enabled the owners - to modify the house...
0:27:45 > 0:27:48- ..and transform family life - in several ways.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03- They had clearly amassed - enough capital to modify the house.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08- This house gave members - of the family the opportunity...
0:28:08 > 0:28:12- ..to follow hobbies - independently from each other.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14- This is the type of house...
0:28:14 > 0:28:18- ..that offered people the chance - to become literate.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23- It has enough space to allow people - to sit down and learn to read.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- These people maximized the potential - of their resources.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- They generated a good income - from the land.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37- That money is on show in the joists - and in the fireplace.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43- These are the desired mod cons - in the 16th century.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03- There were several longhouses - in this area.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08- They didn't all follow - the classic longhouse design.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16- Cilewent originally stood...
0:29:16 > 0:29:19- ..on the slopes - of the Claerwen Valley in mid Wales.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23- It now stands at St Fagans - National History Museum.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59- Once again, what we have here - is a longhouse...
0:29:59 > 0:30:02- ..that wasn't originally built - as a longhouse.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05- It breaks several longhouse rules.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07- It was rebuilt in an L-shape...
0:30:08 > 0:30:13- ..and the fireplace backs against - the upper gable of the house.
0:30:14 > 0:30:20- It should form part of the internal - wall that divides house from byre.
0:30:20 > 0:30:25- Another difference is that this - isn't a full cross-passage...
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- ..with doors at either end.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30- The partition - between people and animals...
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- ..is made of timber - rather than stone.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- In a typical longhouse, - this wall was formed...
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- ..from the back - of the main fireplace.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47- That said, Cilewent is a longhouse - for the simple reason...
0:30:47 > 0:30:51- ..that livestock and humans - lived under the same roof.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56- Essentially, that's the main feature - of the longhouse.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58- This is a very plain design.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- Yes, it's plain - but it's also striking.
0:31:02 > 0:31:08- It has a central door - and that's where we're heading now.
0:31:08 > 0:31:13- The people who lived here - would have done the same thing.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- They turned right - into the living area...
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- ..and turned left - to tend to the animals.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24- It's a smooth construction, - considering when it was built.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29- What you see here - is the building as it looked...
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- ..after it was modified in 1734.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38- Essentially, - this is a medieval skeleton...
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- ..that dates back to around 1470.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46- Stone walls were then built - around that timber frame.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52- I don't quite understand the way - this house has been partitioned.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58- Let's step inside and I'll take you - through the different elements.
0:32:01 > 0:32:02- After you, Gerallt.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04- After you, Gerallt.- - Thank you. Mind your head.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07- This is a hayloft.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- They stored hay there for the winter - and it acted as an insulator.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16- The animals - would be warmer in the winter...
0:32:16 > 0:32:21- ..and heat from the animals' bodies - went through to the living area.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25- This byre is as big as, if not - bigger than, the house itself.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28- Yes, and that's interesting.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31- This is where the farmer - kept his cattle.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34- His cattle were his bank account.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39- He took good care of his stock, - keeping them indoors in the winter.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- The cattle got more respect - than the family!
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- They were certainly important.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47- Let's enter the house.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- Were the owners of this house - relatively wealthy?
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- Yes, they were.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- They kept cattle - and produced butter and cheese.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21- That's why they added a dairy.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26- Dairy products generated - an additional income for them.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31- They knew how add to the money, - not in the bank...
0:33:32 > 0:33:33- ..but in their name.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37- They also saved money - by producing dairy products.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- They became richer as time went on.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42- Where does Cilewent lie...
0:33:42 > 0:33:46- ..in the history of the development - of the longhouse?
0:33:47 > 0:33:48- As we've already seen...
0:33:49 > 0:33:53- ..Cilewent isn't what you'd call - a stereotypical longhouse.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57- However, one interesting thing - about it...
0:33:58 > 0:34:02- ..is that it has been a longhouse - since it was built, in 1470.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06- It remained a longhouse - until it was offered to the museum.
0:34:07 > 0:34:08- It has a 450-year history...
0:34:10 > 0:34:14- ..during which cattle and humans - lived in harmony under one roof.
0:34:26 > 0:34:31- The fact that Cilewent was moved - to St Fagans...
0:34:31 > 0:34:36- ..is proof of the importance - of preserving these kinds of houses.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- They're important parts - of our history.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- There's also something sad...
0:34:42 > 0:34:46- ..about removing a house - from its natural location.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- This house had strong bonds - with its surroundings.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03- The longhouse - is more than stone and limewash.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05- It's a symbol of a way of life.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- A way of life - that has long disappeared.
0:35:30 > 0:35:30- .
0:35:32 > 0:35:32- 888
0:35:32 > 0:35:34- 888- - 888
0:35:47 > 0:35:52- The Welsh longhouse had a narrower - geographical distribution...
0:35:52 > 0:35:56- ..than was originally believed - by Iorwerth Peate.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01- Peter Smith's detailed maps from - Houses Of The Welsh Countryside...
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- ..show that longhouses abounded - in central and southern Wales.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- There were very few longhouses - in mountainous North Wales.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17- Houses in Snowdonia were detached - from their farm buildings.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36- Four longhouses of quality - have been found in the Elan Valley.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40- This highlights the area's wealth - and stature at one time.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- None of those four - are now farmhouses.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46- Cilewent has been moved - to St Fagans.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49- Nannerth Ganol is now a modern home.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- To all intents and purposes, - Gilfach is a museum...
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- ..and Llannerch-y-Cawr - is a holiday home.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02- Luckily, it was built above the - waterline of Dol-y-Mynach reservoir.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08- It is undeniably - a classic Welsh longhouse.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11- Not every house - is so easy to analyse.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22- Peter Smith's book - undermines Iorwerth Peate's theory.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26- Smith shows that the longhouse - was a regional dwelling...
0:37:26 > 0:37:30- ..rather than a house - that was common throughout Wales.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34- If we question whether the longhouse - really is the Welsh house...
0:37:35 > 0:37:40- ..should we question Dr Peate's - rules defining the longhouse?
0:37:53 > 0:37:55- In his book The Welsh House...
0:37:56 > 0:38:00- ..Iorwerth Peate categorized - Gwastad Gwrda as a longhouse.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- Maybe his zeal - to list these kinds of houses...
0:38:04 > 0:38:08- ..led him to misinterpret - Gwastad Gwrda, to a certain extent.
0:38:08 > 0:38:14- Gwastad Gwrda looked very different - some 80 years ago.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18- It would have been much harder - to analyse it.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- Following further research, - the plan is clearer today.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28- In this house, the animals - weren't kept in the main building.
0:38:28 > 0:38:33- They were kept here, in a building - detached from the human dwelling.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37- That breaks the most important - longhouse rule.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39- Neither is it a hall house...
0:38:39 > 0:38:43- ..nor a hall house - converted into a storeyed house.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47- Let this be a lesson to us - not to rush to categorize buildings.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12- In his quest to establish - the longhouse as the Welsh house...
0:39:12 > 0:39:17- ..Iorwerth Peate categorized - hundreds of houses across Wales...
0:39:18 > 0:39:19- ..as longhouses.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32- Is this a longhouse?
0:39:32 > 0:39:34- No, it isn't.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37- I'm not sure precisely what it is...
0:39:38 > 0:39:41- ..but I'm sure - that it isn't a longhouse.
0:39:41 > 0:39:46- When Peate saw it in the 1930s, - nobody had defined the longhouse.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Longhouse studies - were in their infancy.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55- Did Iorwerth Peate have any - architectural qualifications?
0:39:55 > 0:39:59- No, and he didn't hold architects - in very high esteem!
0:39:59 > 0:40:00- He never hid that fact.
0:40:01 > 0:40:06- Peate was a fervent nationalist - and a passionate patriot.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12- For him, the craftsman - and those who worked on the land...
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- ..were the heartbeat - of the Welsh nation.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20- Anything that characterized this, - such as the longhouse...
0:40:20 > 0:40:23- ..was considered by Peate - to be a stamp of Welshness.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- He considered such things - to be almost sacred.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34- In 1975, The Royal Commission - published its book...
0:40:34 > 0:40:37- ..Houses Of The Welsh Countryside.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43- In it, Peter Smith undermines - Iorwerth Peate's main theories.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49- An academic argument that lasted - for decades developed between them.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53- On one side was the nationalist, - Iorwerth Peate...
0:40:53 > 0:40:58- ..and on the other, Peter Smith, - the more objective outsider.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- Peter Smith used the resources - of the Royal Commission...
0:41:06 > 0:41:10- ..to map the distribution - of hundreds if not thousands...
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- ..of houses across Wales - over the centuries.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- From that, - regional patterns emerged.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20- He realized that there was - an important relationship...
0:41:21 > 0:41:23- ..between the fireplace - and the door.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- This, in essence, - is what defines a longhouse.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- Peate simply couldn't accept that.
0:41:32 > 0:41:37- It was Cardiganshire's answer - to the Rumble in the Jungle...
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- ..but the loser - refused to stay on the canvas.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44- Peate couldn't accept the knockout.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- Is the longhouse the Welsh house?
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- No - it's certainly a Welsh house.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- But it's no more the Welsh house - than a cottage is.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01- There is nothing - characteristically Welsh about it.
0:42:01 > 0:42:06- You can find examples of longhouses - in England, Scotland and Ireland...
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- ..not to mention on the Continent.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13- I don't think that detracts - from the longhouse.
0:42:13 > 0:42:18- It's one of the traditional houses - in which we should take great pride.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25- Peter Smith undermined some - of Iorwerth Peate's main beliefs.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28- Smith noted that byres - were often added...
0:42:28 > 0:42:31- ..to the original structures - of houses.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36- He noted that some hall houses - had been modified into longhouses.
0:42:36 > 0:42:41- He also disproved the theory - that they were common across Wales.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- Peter Smith's definition - of the longhouse is now accepted...
0:42:54 > 0:42:57- ..over Peate's theories.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01- But Iorwerth Peate and his book - made a huge contribution...
0:43:02 > 0:43:06- ..to the process of recording - and interpreting Welsh houses.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15- Houses Of The Welsh Countryside - was published in 1975.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21- Several developments since then - have shed new light on longhouses.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24- New dwellings - in the form of longhouses...
0:43:24 > 0:43:28- ..were built in some parts of Wales - up to the 19th century.
0:43:28 > 0:43:34- On the whole, farmhouses were built - separately from farm buildings...
0:43:34 > 0:43:37- ..after the late Georgian period.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39- The age of the longhouse is over.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02- Coedweddus, near Llangadog, - takes us back to the past.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07- It's an excellent example of an - upland Carmarthenshire farmhouse...
0:44:07 > 0:44:10- ..that started life as a longhouse.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13- It's still a longhouse.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33- This house has been empty - since the end of World War II.
0:44:33 > 0:44:38- It offers a rare insight - into the way people used to live.
0:44:38 > 0:44:43- Actually, very little has changed - in this house since it was built...
0:44:43 > 0:44:47- ..apart from the ceiling - and the oven in the fireplace.
0:44:47 > 0:44:52- We can see how the last owners lived - from the hooks where hams hung.
0:44:52 > 0:44:57- Apparently, two brothers lived here - and farmed the land.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59- One of them had a horse and a bull.
0:44:59 > 0:45:03- A few decorative touches - were added here and there...
0:45:04 > 0:45:07- ..to try to make the place - more comfortable.
0:45:07 > 0:45:08- It's wonderful.
0:45:23 > 0:45:28- The thatch, which is now covered - by corrugated iron, has survived...
0:45:28 > 0:45:33- ..as have some colour-washed walls, - the cobbled floor...
0:45:33 > 0:45:36- ..and even the box bed - on the upper floor.
0:45:40 > 0:45:45- Sometime after the house was built, - this partition was added...
0:45:45 > 0:45:47- ..the walls were plastered...
0:45:48 > 0:45:52- ..and the room was converted - from a byre into a parlour.
0:45:54 > 0:46:00- The Georgian window with the thin, - delicate glazing bars was added.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04- The fireplace - was also added at that time.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07- This must have been a cosy room.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09- That's the dilemma, isn't it?
0:46:09 > 0:46:12- What should you do - with a building like this?
0:46:13 > 0:46:17- It's deteriorating, but if you - converted it into a modern home...
0:46:18 > 0:46:22- ..you'd lose the history - that's in every scrap of wallpaper.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26- That would be a great shame, - in my opinion.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59- Sadly, after centuries - as part of the landscape...
0:46:59 > 0:47:05- ..a mere handful of our longhouses - survive in their original condition.
0:47:05 > 0:47:10- However, they are an integral part - of our architectural heritage.
0:47:10 > 0:47:14- They may even be a part - of our patriotism.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53- S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones
0:47:53 > 0:47:54- .