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PLASDAI - OLD AND NEW |
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FelRh094IoanBrParcTrans 12.7.2003 PLASDAI - OLD AND NEW Trans.of Ioan Brothen on Parc, Llanfrothen via Arwyn Thpmas and Angela & Arfon Owen. Article dated about 1906 Y Parc. Parc stands on the brow of a hill on a delightful high ground between Gwernydd and Cwm Croesor. In the times of the old Awyliaid it was one of the finest and most attractive in Gwynedd. But it is was not the present house. The old house stood a few yards to the east from the present one and most of its wall still stand and evidence of the magnificent architecture which was in fashion at the time. The tough ( rough) stones and the soft stone which have been smoothed and polished in parts such that it would be difficult to push a thin blade of a knife in between. We see also that some stones have been carted from afar, for example the sandstone etc. Side by side with the old Plas, there are the walls of an old building, fairly big. And it is thought it was a Church, which belonged to the old families, similar to the ones that the gentry have until now, in some places. But we are not certain of this but judging from the likeness to a Church workmanship. By its northerly end there is a stairway as if leading to a cellar underneath, and in 1903, a two yard deep excavation, to the last step which was visible, was made( because there was rubbish over them ).But nothing of significance was found, only an inscribed slate with some bones, they were thought to be that of a dog. Most of the walls of the old Plas were carried to build the present house and solid dry walls, here and there on the fields. It is said that there was a door or opening, many years ago, leading to cave or cellar, underneath where the pigsties are now but not visible today. Further to the east, on the side of the hill stands the Gate house, small and attractive, with roof and walls of similar work and style to the design of the old Plasdy. It is seen around that ther is much majesty and pomp about the Parc in times gone by. On the wall of the present house there is a plaque with the following numbers and letters LA.KA.1671 and it is said that it was then that this house was built. Although the architecture is more recent comparing it with the old house it is of solid accurate and pleasing.. It has degraded from its early pomp to be an ordinary farmhouse today.. Nearby to it, there are other buildings for the purpose of the house with long unusual chimneys on them (is Ioan Brothen referring to Ty llaeth here ? I think so !) The cowshed and barn are also well strongly built with skill; the stones are so close together as if they were one stone. On the gable end of one of the cowsheds, that is Beudy Newydd, (although it is not now new) we find on a slate KA 1666 and they have remained undamaged and conspicuous till this day.. On the hill called Foelgron , behind the house, there is an artistic circular mound of soil, and on the seaward side of the mound there is a sort of a stone seat or a place to sit; in the form of a crescent moon and in the middle of the half circle there is a foundation or pedestal stone supporting a stone table.On this table there is a recent graffiti (or engraving) of an Englishman who lived in the district. The words which is on it is “ Twigg’s Pastimes 1851 . From this spot we have a magnificent view for miles in the direction of Porthmadog and Cartre’r Gwaelod (Cardigan bay) and it is likely that the gentry of long ago used to come here to enjoy themselves on sunny days. Some people think that this old mound was for Roman military purposes and that it had been modified for the purpose of the old family who were here generations after them. Below the gatehouse there is a little old bridge of one arch and of very strong construction with the stones exceptionally close together and the whole still locking together as the day they were put there. It is thought to be a foot bridge to reach the field and a short cut, instead of going all the way round by the cart road. There is a tradition in the district regarding three sisters who built plasdai and vying with each other who owned the grandest. These Plasdai were Parc, Dolmoch and Plasnewydd. I do not know the names of the sisters and I cannot tell which is the grandest of the three . Parc, Dolfriog, Plasnewydd and Llwyn Dolgellau belonged to former Anwyliaid (* There is along list of the old family in the Geninen Vol 1 No 3 page 233) They were respected gentry and owners of vast wealth. We see also that some of them filled important positions in their day. Here is a list of them who had been High Sheriffs of Meirionydd, under different reigns:- Elizabeth—William Lewis Anwyl 1610 James 1--- Lewis Anwyl 1640 Cromwel ---Robert Anwyl 1650 Ditto --- Richard Anwyl 1658 William 3 William Lewis Anwyl 1698 George 2 Richard Anwyl 1738 Ditto William Lewis Anwyl 1744 One of the three WLA left a legacy of £10 towards the poor of the parish. There is in the possession of Mr W. Anwyl Williams, Croesor Uchaf, one of the descendants of the Anwyliad , a lovely ‘tridarn’ cupboard which was a wedding gift to Robert and Dorothy Anwyl * ( In the possession of Mrs Gwen Jones Tanlan there is a picture, supposing to be that of Dorothy Anwyl.).On the cupboard is carved R A D.1704 with the coat of arms of the family, that is, a picture of three eagles and the tips of three arrows. RA was buried at Beddgelert and D A at Llanfrothen. By the gable end of the church at Llan (frothen)there are three stone chests without any inscription on them and it is said that they are the graves of the old Parc family About 60 years ago there were brass (silver said others) plates and the impressions can still be seen on the ends. The inscription gave the dates of death of the people who rested here under. But it is pity to say they were stolen by unprincipled collecting vandals who sold them to the owner of the foundry at Rhyd Sarn at the time and it is likely the tablets were thrown to the furnace to be remelted In 1748, Parc was bought by Williams Wyn of Wern, one of the Wyns of Peniarth. W.Wyn was also a Sheriff of Meirionydd in 1750 and 1772. It was him that built the sea wall which extended from Yr Inn at Garreg to Ty Llwyn etc. Parc was sold again to Sir Richard Price Lloyd, the first Lord Mostyn. He came to live here before 1797 and 1804* (From Cymru (coch) September 1798 page 99). As mentioned earlier Parc is an ordinary farm house today. It is a farm of some size although it is not as big as it was because meadows and field, here and there, have been given to small holdings nearby. At one time it was the biggest farm in the parish, and I heard that they kept 9 or 10 servants about 60 years ago with each one having his own duty, thus it was well husbanded. By now only three or four servants are kept. The ear mark of the sheep of Parc was the Tithe mark, it is said. The mark is:- cut away half of both ears. So, when it was a Tithe mark, earmarks of sheep from different places were cut off, such that they were all the same shape (In this last sentence, I do not understand what Ioan Brothen means - in Welsh, so the translation, although accurate, and it’s meaning, remains ambiguous). R.Price |
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