Llanerchaeron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llanerchaeron |
|
|---|---|
| Llanayron House | |
 |
|
| Type | House |
| Location | Aberaeron, Ceredigion |
| Built | 1790s |
| Architect | John Nash |
| Architectural style(s) | Regency villa |
| Owner | National Trust |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Official name: Llanerchaeron (previously listed as Llanaeron House) | |
| Designated | 1964 |
| Reference no. | 10715 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Llanerchaeron is a beautiful old mansion in Ceredigion, Wales. It was built in 1795 by a famous architect named John Nash. The house was designed for Major William Lewis to be a "self-sufficient farm." This means the farm could produce almost everything the people living there needed. It is located near Ciliau Aeron, about 2.5 miles south-east of Aberaeron.
The estate is now looked after by the National Trust, a charity that protects historic places. The gardens and parkland around the house are very special. They are listed on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. The nearby St Non Church was also redesigned by John Nash.
Contents
Life at Llanerchaeron: How Things Worked
Llanerchaeron is special because many of its old farm buildings and workshops were kept just as they were. Past owners didn't change or knock them down. This makes it easy to see exactly how people lived and worked there long ago. You can learn how daily tasks were done, often using clever old technology. For example, electricity was even generated by a water-wheel!
Workshops and Production Areas
The estate had many different areas for daily tasks. There was a large laundry room for washing clothes. Other rooms were used for making butter and cheese. People also prepared and preserved meat and fish by salting or smoking it. Fruits and vegetables were preserved too. The estate even had its own carpenters and a full-time stonemason. These skilled workers built new buildings and helped with all the farm's needs.
Exploring the Walled Gardens
Llanerchaeron has amazing walled gardens. These gardens are home to many very old fruit trees, some of which are 200 years old! These trees are still part of the working farm and help produce organic food. They are also important homes for insects, mosses, and lichens. Along with the traditional vegetable beds and flower beds, the gardens are a great place for all kinds of wildlife. The gardens and parkland are recognized as Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.
Visiting Llanerchaeron
Most of the farmland that used to belong to the estate has been sold. However, the main house, gardens, and a large part of the farm are open to the public. You can visit during certain hours for most of the year. It's a good idea to book your visit ahead of time, especially on busy days like weekends and bank holidays. The Dylan Thomas Trail, a walking path, also goes past the estate.
Llanerchaeron and the 2010 Urdd National Eisteddfod
In 2010, the Llanerchaeron estate hosted a huge youth cultural festival called the Urdd National Eisteddfod. This event took place from May 31 to June 5, 2010. About 100,000 visitors came to the estate during that week! This was a huge increase from the usual 35,000 visitors the estate saw each year.
Archaeological Discoveries
During preparations for the Eisteddfod, workers found some old medieval items underground. This discovery matched what historians already knew about a large medieval village that used to be in the area. There were also some concerns about protecting the homes of otters, which live near the estate.
St Non Church: A Historic Place of Worship
The St Non Church in Llanerchaeron is very old, dating back to at least 1284. At that time, there was a large medieval village nearby, which seems to have been abandoned around 1500. The church was remodeled, and Major Lewis helped pay for the work. While there's no proof that John Nash designed the church's changes, it was discussed in a public meeting in 1796, just a year after Llanerchaeron House was finished. Nash is known to have helped design other buildings nearby, like a minister's house and a coachman's house.
The inside of the church was restored in 1878 by Mary Ashby Lewis. She was Major Lewis's daughter-in-law and lived to be 104 years old! When her husband was buried in the family vault in 1855, a local chemist wrote in his diary that there were "nine other coffins there; some had been there over 100 years." Since 1920, the church has belonged to the Church in Wales.
See also
- List of gardens in Wales
- Grade I listed buildings in Ceredigion
- List of National Trust properties in Wales
