Tuesday 13 March 2018

Pantglas Hall walk


I asked to be dropped off here this morning, so I could start my walk up and around the back of Pantglas holiday village, then down through it and back along the steep hill I regularly walk.  On my 1:25,000 map this used to be called "Black Lion" so I am assuming it was a pub at some time in the past. For many years when we first moved here it was empty and becoming quite derelict.  Then someone bought it (cheaply I imagine) and did it up and then it was sold on and someone with sense has come along and replaced the concrete mortar with proper lime mortar throughout, and doubtless done a sympathetic restoration inside too.  It is now called "Preswylfa".  Sounds nice but simply means "Residence"!


The lane ahead.


There are Celendines flowering everywhere now and the Primroses fast catching up.


This is the farm entrance to Ty-lwyd, with lovely views across to Black Mountain.  This translates to Grey House.


A view across the fields to the right of Ty-llwyd, looking along the ridge which backs Black Mountain.


I loved the sun shining on the moss on these trees.  Like a Pre-Raphaelite style painting.


Llywnfedwen (I think) in the distance.  This appears to mean "shrubbery"! according to the translation tool I am using.



A misty Black Mountain again.


Through the trees, the Italianate tower which is all that remains of the once-splendid Pantglas . Although on a very much earlier site (dating back to Llewellyn Foethus of Llangathan (1330-1350).  He has links with our house too.


This is "just" the stable block, now housing a restaurant, gym and coffee house.  When the children were smaller we would come up for the Pantglas firework display on 5th November.  A fabulous setting.



A little pond which once fed down steps into the lake, which is on a lower level the far side of this pretty bridge.


The lower lake, which has some lovely specimen tree plantings including a huge Weeping Beech (below).





Through the trees again, all that remains of the house.


It looked better through the trees.  How are the mighty fallen . . .  The refashioning of the old mansion took place after Pantglas was sold by Nicholas Burnell Jones (who succeeded to Pantglas in 1806).  He became High Sheriff in 1814. The new owner was David Jones, of Blaen-nos, Llandovery, who was a wealthy banker, and who decided to demolish the old mansion and build a new house on three storeys, with this tall tower in the centre, very much in the Italian style.  His son was also a High Sheriff in 1845, as well as MP for the county between 1851 and 1868.  His son was also High Sheriff in 1887, although he died unmarried in 1903 and bequeathed the house to his sister.  The house was sold on again in 1920 and became a hospital run by the County Council until 1972, when it was sold privately to a "speculator", who subsequently demolished the house (bar for the tower) and the estate became home to various holiday homes built in the Swiss Cabin style and available by Time Share. . . . .  It roughly translates to "blue dip".  Pant is dip and glas is blue.


Looking towards Llanfynydd - which translates roughly to  "Llan" - meeting place, and "fynydd" is mountain.


Finally a view up the Cothi valley as I was walking down the steep hill leading to it. 

Thanks to "Historic Carmarthenshire Homes and their Families" by Francis Jones for the information on Pant Glas.

14 comments:

  1. I love the Black Mountains = the scenery around them is just so atmospheric.

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    1. You and me both Pat. To get up close to Black Mountain is something else - feels almost primeval being up at Llyn-y-Fan-Fach, the glacial lake at the base of the mountain.

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  2. A lovely walk, with cloud shadows on the hills. All walks around here would just involve very muddy fields!

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    1. It is a lovely walk, just a shame it's nearly all tarmac, though I did go on grass wandering round the grounds at Pant Glas. Muddy fields - they have their attraction . . . as long as you have good wellies!

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  3. As always I am envious of your places to walk. It is heartening to see a historic home salvaged and sensitively restored. I think of our long gone New England farmhouse, once a state coach inn. We so wished we had the means to repair and restore--or even move the components and rebuild. It was torn down after our departure and its post and beam frame used for another building. So many once lovely homes fall into disrepair--or are bulldozed for a shopping mall. At least I doubt there will ever be a strip mall in the places you walk--one hopes not.

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  4. I hate to see historic old houses ruined or destroyed. The 1970s here were a particularly bad time for big old houses. Maintenance just beyond coping with. No strip mall here, BUT a Chinese entrepreneur put in a bid on this site, intending to bulldoze the wooden huts and in their place build a holiday village incorporating all the best styles of architecture from Roman to Elizabethan to Victorian - all in one building!!! Fortunately the Chinese holiday village (it was to be exclusively for Chinese guests) got refused planning permission as the houses would have been so ugly and totally out of keeping. Plus there wasn't enough sewage capability! They would have ONLY employed Chinese staff too.

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  5. P.S. So sorry to read that your beautiful Old England farmhouse was destroyed. That must have been heartbreaking.

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  6. Replies
    1. Hi Viola, I am glad you liked this post. I will have to try and do walk-bys with some more historic homes. It's getting near them that's the problem, even when they are abandoned they still are usually off-limits.

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  7. Lovely virtual walk with echoes of sadness for all those people that once lived and were merry a long time ago.

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    1. Indeed Thelma. There was once a cricket match organized by one of the Jones up at Pantglas, and the family from here (Thomases then I think) took part.

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  8. What a walk!!! I marvel that you are able to carry your camera so far, for mine wears me out by the first quarter. Of course, I loved the photos but my favorite today is the farm entrance to Ty-lwyd.

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    1. Hi Chip. The camera is lightweight and stopping to take photos is helpful on a long walk (this was about an hour and 3/4.) That's my favourite photo too.

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  9. Lovely photos! The landscape is stunning. Seeing your photos makes me long to return for another visit to beautiful Wales.

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