HISTORY OF TWYN YR HYDD
Twyn Yr Hydd House was built in 1890-3 by Emily Charlotte Talbot for her new land agent, Edward Knox. The 1901 Census shows Land Agent Gordon Lipscombe living at the house. The house forms part of a self-contained estate within a larger estate with gardens and outbuildings surrounded by walls, a ha-ha and entrance gates. The house, like Margam Castle was supplied with electricity from the estate.
When Sir David Martyn Evans-Bevan purchased the whole estate in 1942, he chose to live in Twyn Yr Hydd House with his family, considering the castle too large for his requirements. He generously offered the castle as a gift to St. Michael’s College, Llandaff. The offer was declined.
The whole estate was acquired by Glamorgan County Council in 1973 when Sir David left due to health reasons, now under the management of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
Twyn Yr Hydd House was built in 1890-3 by Emily Charlotte Talbot for her new land agent, Edward Knox. The 1901 Census shows Land Agent Gordon Lipscombe living at the house. The house forms part of a self-contained estate within a larger estate with gardens and outbuildings surrounded by walls, a ha-ha and entrance gates. The house, like Margam Castle was supplied with electricity from the estate.
When Sir David Martyn Evans-Bevan purchased the whole estate in 1942, he chose to live in Twyn Yr Hydd House with his family, considering the castle too large for his requirements. He generously offered the castle as a gift to St. Michael’s College, Llandaff. The offer was declined.
The whole estate was acquired by Glamorgan County Council in 1973 when Sir David left due to health reasons, now under the management of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
PROJECT DESCRIPTION BY VOLUNTEER JOYCE HUNT
I visited Twyn yr Hydd walled garden with a group of Volunteer Friends of Margam Park in 2015. My grandmother, Bella Clunn, was Cook /Housekeeper for Sir David Evans- Bevan in the 1950s and lived in the house. As a child I was allowed to stay there.
Although we waded knee deep in grasses, brambles covered the fences and ivy trailed the walls, the magic was still there for me within the walled rose garden. I held a faded photograph of my grandmother in the rose garden and positioned myself near her favourite rose to recreate the earlier photo. My enthusiasm was infectious and the passion to restore the hidden garden of Twyn yr Hydd began.
We recorded our findings with a set of black and white photographs. Barely visible were Cotswold stone features, three Claire-voies, a pond with cobbled surround and a plaque commemorating Ralph Hancock, the Cardiff born Landscape genius was hiding below a branch of a tree. I contacted various people connected with the garden and gained valuable information from them.
A proposal was put forward and passed in 2018 to restore and conserve the Grade 2 listed walled rose garden at Twyn yr Hydd to its former glory, by setting up a team of volunteer gardeners including myself, Joyce Hunt, Andrea Kennedy, Ann Beaumont, Doreen Nash, Anne Chant, Janet Evans, Peter Ross, Peter Lindsey, Andrew Lyons , Luke Rosser, and Anthony Morgan, Park staff, Jeanette Dunk, Head Gardener, Lisa Roberts, Assistant gardener and Garry Davies, Duty Officer, to work in scheduled Phases.
From a dream in 2015 to a proposal in 2018, that was passed by the Council, became a weekly gardening programme of work by a devoted team of Volunteer gardeners.
We are always looking for volunteers to assist with our gardening projects, including Twyn Yr Hydd. If you are interested please contact us or call in to the turbine house.
Although we waded knee deep in grasses, brambles covered the fences and ivy trailed the walls, the magic was still there for me within the walled rose garden. I held a faded photograph of my grandmother in the rose garden and positioned myself near her favourite rose to recreate the earlier photo. My enthusiasm was infectious and the passion to restore the hidden garden of Twyn yr Hydd began.
We recorded our findings with a set of black and white photographs. Barely visible were Cotswold stone features, three Claire-voies, a pond with cobbled surround and a plaque commemorating Ralph Hancock, the Cardiff born Landscape genius was hiding below a branch of a tree. I contacted various people connected with the garden and gained valuable information from them.
A proposal was put forward and passed in 2018 to restore and conserve the Grade 2 listed walled rose garden at Twyn yr Hydd to its former glory, by setting up a team of volunteer gardeners including myself, Joyce Hunt, Andrea Kennedy, Ann Beaumont, Doreen Nash, Anne Chant, Janet Evans, Peter Ross, Peter Lindsey, Andrew Lyons , Luke Rosser, and Anthony Morgan, Park staff, Jeanette Dunk, Head Gardener, Lisa Roberts, Assistant gardener and Garry Davies, Duty Officer, to work in scheduled Phases.
From a dream in 2015 to a proposal in 2018, that was passed by the Council, became a weekly gardening programme of work by a devoted team of Volunteer gardeners.
We are always looking for volunteers to assist with our gardening projects, including Twyn Yr Hydd. If you are interested please contact us or call in to the turbine house.
Film
Conservation of the Walled Garden
A short film by Julian James
click image to view
