For those who might think the Royal Family is not conscious of spending, here is the relatively modest retreat in Wales of Prince Charles and Camilla, Llwynywermod. It is the first royal home in Wales since the English Civil War.
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| Rendering by Craig Hamilton Architects. |
Owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the 192 acre estate near the village of Myddfai, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, was bought in 2006-2007. The residence was once the coach house of the larger manor house now in ruins. It was the home of the Griffies-Williams family.
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| Photo by Paul Highnam, Craig Hamilton Architects. |
Renovation was completed in 2008 using traditonal building methods by
John Weaver Construction to plans by
Craig Hamilton Architects.
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| Photo by Paul Highnam, Craig Hamilton Architects. |
With the exception of the Hall pictured above, the interior photos associated with the property seem to be the two bedroom apartment in the attached wing that can be rented when Charles and Camilla are not in residence. (The Prince's exclusion of a television was relaxed for the rental quarters which has all the conveniences including a dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer, and high-speed internet service. Guests are given a complimentary basket of Duchy of Cornwall products such as organic preserves, marmalades, and biscuits [cookies]).
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| Photo by Paul Highnam, Craig Hamilton Architects. |
In keeping with Prince Charles' ideals, no pesticides or artificial fertilizers are used. Cleaning products are environmentally friendly. And sewage is treated through a reed-bed system for filtering before released into the ground. Insulation is achieved through corn cob filling and sheeps wool; the sheep also control the meadows while depositing natural fertilizer to promote the growth of wildflowers and orchids. Natural paint was used on hemp plaster walls. A wood chip boiler (using scrap wood from a nearby site) supplies hot water and heat; the electricity is 100% from renewable sources.
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| Photo by Paul Highnam, Craig Hamilton Architects. |
The furnishings are a mixture of Welsh furnishings, old and new, using local fabrics with quilts and rugs from local sources as well. The Welsh dresser in the Hall was given to The Queen on Her Majesty's wedding day by the people of Meirionnydd according to the official website of The Prince of Wales,
www.princeofwales.gov.uk. The house is also used for functions by various charities.
More about the once grand estate and the changing fortunes of the Griffies-Williams family can be found in the book written by Welsh architecture expert Mark Baker,
A ROYAL HOME IN WALES: LLWYNYWERMOD. The first photo in this essay showing Charles and Camilla at Llwynywermod is from
www.photobucket.com.
Ummm... now the morning gone following your links on this very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteC.J., reference links are a great blogging feature, are they not? They give the curious reader a choice. I am trying to be better about references and notes; it is appalling that so much information, often incorrect, is put forth in blogs with no source notation at all, perpetuating the inconsistencies. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteIt is surprisingly unfussy, given my understanding of the prince's taste. But I think it is more of a political and economic statement than a private desire to have a home in Wales. He could have done nothing, so I'm not criticising him, and I think the eco friendly elements are admirable, and as you would expect from the Duchy of Cornwall.
ReplyDeleteC., I could not agree more. Perhaps the austerity was more about political correctness than personal tastes, but it clearly was the right direction here. Thank you for your comments.
DeleteAgree with Columnist that it is charmingly unfussy and the exterior paint scheme
ReplyDeleteis refreshingly direct. In fact, what's not to like about the whole concept?
Thank you, Toby. It seems to be a success in every sense of the word.
DeleteIt's the roof construction that is so wonderful. On the architects' site there's a photograph of a beautiful fireplace with a Prince of Wales feathers carving above it. Would that all new building or renovation were this environmentally friendly!
ReplyDeleteBlue, as is often the case with vernacular architecture, this building complex followed the lay of the land and was located where it made sense. Although I did not include a detailed shot, the Prince of Wales plumes on the chimney breast can be seen in the fourth image above as well. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteWill definitely pick up a copy of the book... am curious to learn more about the history of the grounds, and the former manor house. Nothing more alluring and mysterious than coming upon a ruin, preserved in the landscape. So glad the remains of the old house were kept.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you found it interesting, APB. Ruins can still give an idea of what was. I have visited a number of ruins of of houses and was still fascinated by the siting and the hints of scale.
DeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post. Great tie-in with the Diamond Jubilee. I love how modest the house is, a nice surprise from what one would imagine.
Dean
Thanks, Dean. I think it says a lot, in a favorable way, about the future king.
DeleteDear Devoted Readers, my friend Meg of the Pigtown Design blog (see my Blogroll on the right) tells me that the name of this property is pronounced "chlwunuERmod". She adds, "accent is usually on the second or third syllable, and ll is pronounced like a guttural chl sound, w is like a uu and y is a short u".
ReplyDeleteJust lovely. Transforming my condo community bit by bit to be herbicide and pesticide free and using deer-resistant plants and those that provide pollen and protection for nesting songbirds. That is not why I comment - what is the name of the color used on the doors? It is a nice blue/gray.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, it is impossible for me to say with certainly, but my suggestion is that you take a look at Farrow & Ball 'Stone Blue' 86 in terms of reference for the color.
Delete