EDWINSFORD, Talley, Carmarthenshire 2004
Notes on EDWINSFORD, Talley, Carmarthenshire 2004
Thomas Lloyd considered the demise of Edwinsford, between Llansawel and Talyllychau, as one of the saddest sights in South Wales. My first visit in 1997 was frustrating due to a lack of permission to enter the grounds and photograph. A nearby resident warned of the dangers of the house due to its instability.
My second visit in April 2004 was made at sunrise. Two caravans sat in the grounds and I presumed, a process of demolition had begun. I made some exposures moving around the house for the best possible viewpoint but I could not help but feel that the house had given up and that the optimum time to photograph the house had been back in 1997. The roadside view back in 1997 gave me promise that the house had reached that stage where action to save it had to be taken there and then. Any longer would have been too little, too late. As it happens the new owners of Edwinsford contacted me early 2005 with the news that the house was not, as I suggested, on the precipice of demolition but of restoration. I suppose to restore such a property in such a dilapidated state begins with the part demolition and then the re-build.
Edwinsford, a spectacular sight and a superior house – long fronted and of many periods, most notably the square structure built around a chimney built in the 1630’s. This square structure is architecturally a beautiful component and is, to my eyes, the focal point of the whole house. The rest of the house, much has completely collapsed, was built from the late 17th century through to the 20th century. Derelict since World War Two it was reported that Polish refugees grew mushrooms under the floorboards, no doubt progressing the rampant rot. Much of the furniture was said to be left in situ for much of its abandoned life with rooms filled with elaborate plaster frieze. Many of the house’s fine features: three fine plaster ceilings, lead statues, oak staircase and a sundial are all lost.
Edwinsford lies a few miles from Talley Abbey and can be seen from the lay-by on the B4337 (but better viewed during the winter months).
On the photographic note i unfortuntely, at the time these were taken, was experimenting with various lenses and parts of these images are a little 'soft' around the edges and i do not consider as sharp as the other images on this website. Nonetheless the photographs were still made on a 5x4inch field camera and are sharp enough unless giant enlargements are required (maximum enlargement size is 12x16inch). I was hoping to re-visit Edwinsford and was in touch with the new owners some years ago but i've lost their email address - if they are reading this please do get in touch!
Edwinsford 2004
Edwinsford, Talley, Sir Gaerfyrddin 2004
Mae Edwinsford yn olygfa hynod ac yn dy bendigedig ond eto mae’n adfail. Mae ffrynt I’r ty ac mae yn perthyn I sawl cyfnod, y manylyn mwyyaf nodedig yw’r strwythur sgwar a adeiladwyd o gwmpas simnai yn y 1620au gydag adeiniau ac estyniadau pellach wedi’u hadeiladu o ddiwedd y 1680au drwyddo I’r 19eg ganrif. Mae nifer o nodweddion gwych y ty wedi eu colli, tri nenfwd plaster bendigedig, delwau plwm, grisiau derw a deial haul.
Thomas Lloyd considered the demise of Edwinsford, between Llansawel and Talyllychau, as one of the saddest sights in South Wales. My first visit in 1997 was frustrating due to a lack of permission to enter the grounds and photograph. A nearby resident warned of the dangers of the house due to its instability.
My second visit in April 2004 was made at sunrise. Two caravans sat in the grounds and I presumed, a process of demolition had begun. I made some exposures moving around the house for the best possible viewpoint but I could not help but feel that the house had given up and that the optimum time to photograph the house had been back in 1997. The roadside view back in 1997 gave me promise that the house had reached that stage where action to save it had to be taken there and then. Any longer would have been too little, too late. As it happens the new owners of Edwinsford contacted me early 2005 with the news that the house was not, as I suggested, on the precipice of demolition but of restoration. I suppose to restore such a property in such a dilapidated state begins with the part demolition and then the re-build.
Edwinsford, a spectacular sight and a superior house – long fronted and of many periods, most notably the square structure built around a chimney built in the 1630’s. This square structure is architecturally a beautiful component and is, to my eyes, the focal point of the whole house. The rest of the house, much has completely collapsed, was built from the late 17th century through to the 20th century. Derelict since World War Two it was reported that Polish refugees grew mushrooms under the floorboards, no doubt progressing the rampant rot. Much of the furniture was said to be left in situ for much of its abandoned life with rooms filled with elaborate plaster frieze. Many of the house’s fine features: three fine plaster ceilings, lead statues, oak staircase and a sundial are all lost.
Edwinsford lies a few miles from Talley Abbey and can be seen from the lay-by on the B4337 (but better viewed during the winter months).
On the photographic note i unfortuntely, at the time these were taken, was experimenting with various lenses and parts of these images are a little 'soft' around the edges and i do not consider as sharp as the other images on this website. Nonetheless the photographs were still made on a 5x4inch field camera and are sharp enough unless giant enlargements are required (maximum enlargement size is 12x16inch). I was hoping to re-visit Edwinsford and was in touch with the new owners some years ago but i've lost their email address - if they are reading this please do get in touch!
Edwinsford 2004
Edwinsford, Talley, Sir Gaerfyrddin 2004
Mae Edwinsford yn olygfa hynod ac yn dy bendigedig ond eto mae’n adfail. Mae ffrynt I’r ty ac mae yn perthyn I sawl cyfnod, y manylyn mwyyaf nodedig yw’r strwythur sgwar a adeiladwyd o gwmpas simnai yn y 1620au gydag adeiniau ac estyniadau pellach wedi’u hadeiladu o ddiwedd y 1680au drwyddo I’r 19eg ganrif. Mae nifer o nodweddion gwych y ty wedi eu colli, tri nenfwd plaster bendigedig, delwau plwm, grisiau derw a deial haul.
|
Comments
By Charis Holmes: During the ww2, Edwinsford was the home of Wittingheame College of Brighton. My grandparents met whilst working there during this time. By Ken Davies: I was born in 1943 in Brocin Farm, approx 1 mile from Edwinsford Mansion. I remember Talley school sports days being held in the grounds in front of Edwinsford by the banks of the Cothi, in the early fifties. By David King: walk from the picnic area to the river and walk along track opposite Mill Lodge around to the right, down to the left bend in the river which faces the bridge and on Bank Holiday early May 2013 - amazed NOT to see the usual chimney 'bits' remaining from mansion. also, very dismayed to find that vast slumping of river bank by Mill Lodge, with new collection of boulders - large from an old building? - on edge of river at aforementioned bend before bridge. general look of river has dramatically changed for the worse, and if that wasn't enough to shock and dismay: not to see the remnants of the fine mansion. What is going on? By Sonia Rose: Its sad to hear about the demise of the mansion. I used to holiday with my grandparents in Talley every year in the 50's and spent many hours walking in the area. I would love to know the history of Edwinsford as I had relatives who worked at the Estate in the 1800's. By eric abrams: Edwinsford was used as a school during the war and I attended this school at the end of 1941 By Babs Sketchley: My mother Cora Rogers taught French at Edwinsford during WW2, to boys evacuated from Whittinhaeme College Brighton. Would be pleased to hear from anyone who knew my mother. She had such happy memories of Edwinsford
Babs Sketchley. By Babs Sketchley: My mother Cora Rogers taught French at Edwinsford during WW2, to boys evacuated from Whittinhaeme College Brighton. Would be pleased to hear from anyone who knew my mother. She had such happy memories of Edwinsford
Babs Sketchley. By lionel Frumkin: I was 5 years old when I was sent to whittingehame college in 1943. I have such happy memories, the river, woods etc. Sorry Babs, I was too young to learn French ! By Carolyn: You can find a lot of articles on Edwinsford in the Welsh newspapers 1800-1919 at the National Library of Wales website. By Mary Sroczynski: My father in law was a Colonel in the Polish army and joined the British army as a major in early WW2.After de mob he moved with his wife and 3 sons to Edwinsford which he and 2 other demobbed Polish officers had leased from a prominent figure who was murdered with his wife and daughter in France around that time.I cannot remember their names sadly.The 3 Polish officers were not refugees and had all faught across Europe with the British Army.My father in laws reward was to have his papers stamped 'alien' my ex husband remembers the mushrooms being grown in an outbuilding not in the house.We visited from our home in Birmingham in 1965 the family had moved there in the early 1950s.We were teenagers on a vespa scooter but we climbed into the derelict house the gardens overgrown with rhododendron but no one stopped us.