Bronwydd Castle facts for kids
Bronwydd Castle, also known simply as Bronwydd, was a large country house in Wales. It was located in Ceredigion, near the towns of Cardigan and Lampeter. The house belonged to the Lloyd family for many years. In the 1850s, Sir Thomas Lloyd, 1st Baronet rebuilt the old 18th-century house. He designed it in a special style called Gothic Revival. This style made it look like an old castle. After the family sold it in 1937, the house slowly fell into ruin.
Contents
The Story of Bronwydd Castle
Bronwydd became the main home for the Lloyd family in the 1850s. It replaced their older house, Cilrhiwe. Sir Thomas Lloyd, 1st Baronet wanted a grand new home. He chose the popular Gothic Revival style. This style brought back ideas from medieval castles and cathedrals.
The architect for the project was Richard Kyrke Penson. He cleverly changed the existing 18th-century house. He turned it into a fancy Victorian "castle." It was meant to look like a home fit for a powerful local lord. The old house had a private chapel. The new Bronwydd included a large hall. This hall held important family papers and served as the main entrance.
Castle-like Features
The outside of Bronwydd Castle looked very impressive. It had a tall, thin round tower. There was also a square tower with a small bell tower on top. Some people say part of the house looked like a famous cathedral in Ireland. Sir Thomas Lloyd himself described it as "a romantic Rhineland castle." He liked its patterned roof tiles. Even the stables and service buildings looked special. They were made to look like old timber-framed houses. The whole house was built on a hill. It looked out over the Afon Cynllo river.
Inside the Castle
The inside of Bronwydd was also very grand. There were painted sayings above the doors. You could see lots of carved stone and beautiful stained glass. There were even paintings on the walls. Building such a magnificent house was very expensive.
Financial Challenges
By 1877, when Sir Thomas's son, Sir Marteine Lloyd, took over, the family had a lot of debt. Sir Marteine worked hard to manage the estate. He sold some lands that were far away. This helped to improve the family's finances before the First World War.
However, tragedy struck during the war. Sir Marteine's son, Arundel Keymes Lloyd, died in the war. This was a big blow to the family and the estate. The government also asked for taxes on the estate after Arundel's death. This made things even harder for the family.
The End of Bronwydd Castle
For many years after the war, Sir Marteine and Lady Lloyd lived away from Bronwydd. They did return to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary there in 1928.
Sir Marteine Lloyd passed away in 1933. Lady Lloyd tried to rent out the house. During the Second World War, Bronwydd Castle was used as a Jewish boarding school. It was called Aryeh House School.
After Lady Lloyd's death in 1937, the house and its land were sold. Some land near the mansion was sold for forestry. This meant the house was no longer cared for. Over time, the house was stripped of its valuable parts. It was left to fall apart. Even in the 1980s, parts of the house still had roofs. But the round tower fell down in the early 2000s. Today, much of Bronwydd Castle has disappeared, leaving only ruins.
