Nantclwyd y Dre facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nantclwyd Y Dre
Nantclwyd Y Dre looking North on Castle Street, Ruthin
General information
Town or city	Ruthin, Denbighshire
Country	Wales
Coordinates	53°06′49″N 3°18′39″W / 53.113494°N 3.310821°W / 53.113494; -3.310821
Construction started	1435
Completed	15th century
Client	Goronwy ap Madog
Technical details
Structural system	Timber frame

Nantclwyd y Dre (which used to be called Nantclwyd House) is a very old house and garden in Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales. It's known as one of the oldest timber-framed houses in Wales, built way back in 1435. Over hundreds of years, the house has changed a lot, showing different building styles from various time periods. Today, it's a historic house museum. Visitors can explore and see what life was like for the people who lived there long ago.

History of Nantclwyd y Dre

How Old Is It?

Scientists used a method called carbon dating on the wood from the house. They found that the main part of the building was started in 1435 or 1436. This means it was built after the Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr caused damage in the area. The English then helped rebuild the towns.

Early Owners and Changes

In the 1400s, Ruthin was a busy place for weaving cloth. The land where the house stands belonged to a Welsh weaver named Goronwy ap Madog and his English wife, Suzanna. The house was built close to Ruthin Castle, showing that its owners were important and wealthy.

The first part of the house was a 15th-century cruck framed hall house. This means it had large curved timbers that formed the main frame. The wood for this part was cut in the winter of 1434–35. The way the house and garden are set up suggests the land was originally two smaller plots. These were joined together to build the large hall house.

Later, during the Jacobean era (early 1600s), the house was made bigger. A special pillared porch was added in the late Stuart period (late 1600s). The name Nantclwyd y Dre probably came about in the 1720s. In the Georgian era (1700s), the local Wynne family fixed up the house. It then became a girls' school in the Victorian era (1800s). From 1834, it also served as a place for visiting judges to stay.

Modern Restoration and Ownership

In 1925, Clinton Holme, a retired engineer who lived there, bought the house. In 1928, he removed the outside plaster to show the timber frames. He then sold it to Samuel Dyer Gough, who continued the restoration. Mr. Gough made the house a center for the Arts and Crafts movement in the area.

In 1984, the Dyer Gough family sold the house and gardens to Clwyd County Council. Later, in the mid-2000s, Denbighshire County Council began working to preserve the property.

Visiting Nantclwyd y Dre Museum

Nantclwyd y Dre is now a "living history museum." This means you can see how people lived in the house throughout different time periods. You can explore rooms that have been carefully set up to look like they did in the past. This shows how styles, furniture, and daily life changed over the centuries.

Rooms to Explore

• Modern Era: See the hall as it looked in 1942.
• Edwardian Era: Visit the rector's study from 1916.
• Victorian Era: Step into an 1891 schoolroom.
• Georgian Era: Discover a bedroom suite with beautiful Chinese-style wallpaper.
• Stuart Era: See the 1690 "cabinet" of Eubule Thelwall, a Stuart owner. It has special wall hangings and a plaster ceiling.
• Jacobean Era: Explore a bedchamber with a hung bed and painted cloths.
• Medieval Era: See the 15th-century "business room." Its 1435 structure is almost unchanged. Here you can see old documents from a medieval resident's trip to Rome, found during the house's restoration.

New Experiences for Visitors

In 2023, Nantclwyd y Dre received funding to make the visitor experience even better. They added new soundscapes and costumes, created by Theatr Clwyd. These soundscapes let you hear the typical sounds of a busy household from different time periods. The new costumes also help bring the house's past to life.

You can find the latest opening times and ticket prices on their website: Nantclwyd y Dre website.

The Lord's Garden

The inner 13th century garden, showing the restored gazebo

Behind the house, there are two gardens: the inner garden and the outer Lord's Garden. The inner garden, from the 13th century, is right behind the house and has a strong stone wall around it.

The outer Lord's Garden was likely part of a castle garden from the 1200s. It became part of Nantclwyd y Dre after Eubule Thelwall, the house owner, rented it and then bought it in 1691. An old map from 1780 shows paths that divided the northern part into four areas. There might have been a decorative feature in the middle.

Garden Restoration

A big project to restore the Lord's Garden finished in May 2016. This project cost £220,000 and took three years. It was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Denbighshire County Council, Ruthin Town Council, and many volunteers. The goal was to bring back the garden's historical look and importance, going all the way back to the 13th century.

More than a hundred volunteers, including students, helped with the garden's restoration. The project was praised for its excellent work and won the 2016 Quayle Award.

In 2022, another project improved the kitchen garden's edges. New chestnut wood fencing was added to help plants grow better. Slate edging was also put in to protect the area. New plants, tools, benches, a shed, and signs were also bought to make the garden even better for visitors.

What You See Today

Today, the garden shows features from three different periods:

• Medieval: You can see wildflowers and an enamelled mead.
• 17th Century: There are hedges, a nuttery (a place for nut trees), and vegetable beds.
• 19th Century: Look for beech trees, a glasshouse, and flower borders.

A team of paid and volunteer gardeners keep these historic gardens beautiful. You can buy tickets to visit the gardens during the open season. In 2023 and 2024, both the house and gardens were given "Hidden Gem" status.

Lesser Horseshoe Bat Colony

In 2022, the Welsh Government provided money to install special bat cameras and monitors. These are used to track a large group of Lesser horseshoe bats that live in the house's attic. These bats are a protected species and are among the smallest in Britain. The attic is a breeding site where female bats gather to give birth and raise their young. Visitors to Nantclwyd y Dre can watch the bats live on a "Bat Cam" and an interactive display in the reception area.

Examples of Things to See

The Porch on Stilts

The distinctive porch on stilts.

This special porch with a room above it was added to the front of the house around 1693 by Eubule Thelwall. We know this from dating the tree rings in the wood. There is a beautiful memorial to Thelwall in Llanelidan Church.

Archaeological Finds

Items found during excavations.

This display cabinet holds interesting items found in the Lord's Garden. The Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust dug there in late 2013, and these are some of the things they discovered.

Samuel Dyer Gough’s Chair

Samuel Dyer Gough's unique chair.

This is a unique, handmade chair that can recline. It was made by Mr. S. Dyer Gough, who lived at Nantclwyd y Dre from 1926 to 1984 with his family. He was an architect, craftsman, and historian. He and his family had a big impact on the house during their 50 years of ownership. They were the last family to live there.

Staffordshire Figures

A collection of Staffordshire figures.

Here you can see a collection of traditional Staffordshire figures and willow pattern china. These were found in the house from the time the Dyer Goughs lived there.

Bottle Jacks

A bottle jack for roasting meat.

This was an important kitchen invention back then. It was a clockwork device that helped turn meat so it could roast evenly in front of the fire.

Four Carved Panels by the Fireplace

Carved oak panels.

These four beautifully carved oak panels are very old. The trees they came from were cut soon after 1423, but the carving style suggests they were made later, in the 15th or 16th century. Even though they have fleur de lys designs, the wood likely came from Wales, perhaps from a nearby forest. The carvings probably honored Arthur, Prince of Wales, who was the eldest son of Henry VII of England.

The Arms of Ednyfed Fychan

The coat of arms of Ednyfed Fychan.

This is the coat of arms of Ednyfed Fychan, an ancestor of Owen Tudor. It was used by the Wynne family. The design shows "Gules a chevron ermine between three men's heads in profile erased proper." The ermine pattern can also be seen on the flag of Brittany. Ednyfed is said to have become famous in battle. He fought against an army that attacked Llywelyn, a Welsh prince. Ednyfed cut off the heads of three English lords and brought them to Llywelyn. Llywelyn then told him to change his family's coat of arms to show three heads to remember this brave act.

Wattle and Daub Panel

An exposed wattle and daub panel.

This shows an example of the medieval "wattle and daub" wall. It's made of horizontal hazel branches woven between oak beams. This exposed piece dates back to around 1435.

Ericsson 1905 Magneto Telephone

An old Ericsson telephone.

Nantclwyd House was the first house on Castle Street to have a telephone! The Rev. Thomas Pritchard lived here from 1907 to 1917. The wooden case held two batteries for the microphone. To make a call, you turned a handle, which rang a bell at the telephone exchange. You would then tell the operator the number you wanted to connect to. Electricity arrived at Nantclwyd around 1914.

A Victorian Teacher’s Desk

A Victorian teacher's desk.

From 1886 to 1893, Nantclwyd y Dre was Miss Charlotte Price's school for young ladies. These were daughters of the wealthier business people of Ruthin. The room is set up as if they were having a needlework lesson. It shows the typical sewing skills girls would learn before moving on to Ruthin County School (now Ysgol Brynhyfryd) at age 11.

Changing Room in the Georgian Bedchamber

The changing room with Chinese-style wallpaper.

This room was used for changing clothes next to the grandest bedroom. This bedroom was created during the Georgian updates by the Wynne family around 1734. The wallpaper shows the popular trend for Chinese-influenced patterns at that time. It's a reproduction of an English wallpaper design from the 1750s-1760s. People would have used chamber pots, stored in special cupboards, as you see here.

Stool of Ease or Commode

A 17th-century stool of ease.

This is a 17th-century toilet! It's a chamber pot placed inside a lidded seat. You can find it in the private bathroom of the Jacobean bedchamber. This is a copy of an original from the 1600s, now displayed at Plas Mawr, Conwy. These "stools of ease" became popular because they were much more convenient than going outside to a privy (outhouse).

Table in the Jacobean Room

The table set for dinner.

The table is set for dinner with beautiful pewter dishes and napkins. These were signs of wealth for the Parry family, who added this room and the small bathroom next to it around 1620. The tableware includes pewter candlesticks, plates, and bowls. There's also a pewter jug and basin for hand washing before and after meals. You can also see fancy drinking glasses and imported jugs.

Eubule Thelwall’s Study

Eubule Thelwall's study with ornate ceiling.

This fancy plaster ceiling was put in when this room was added to Nantclwyd y Dre's original front part around 1663 by Eubule Thelwall. The plaster designs include mulberries and pears. This type of plasterwork was very popular in the 1660s and 1670s. Eubule Thelwall loved gardening. To the right of the doorway, you can still see part of what used to be the outside wall of the old house.

Medieval Chamber

The simple Medieval Chamber.

This room is part of the original medieval hallhouse. It has simple, strong furniture and a typical scribe's desk. Medieval windows often had waxed canvas coverings called "fenestrals" to keep out the weather. The rushlights (simple candles) didn't give off much light!

The Gazebo

The gazebo at the end of the garden.

This building at the end of the walled garden dates back to the early 1700s. It only appears in pictures after 1715. The top floor was used as a study room by the three daughters of the Dyer-Gough family when they were growing up here in the 1940s. It still offers beautiful views over the Vale of Clwyd on a clear day. The ground floor room is now set up as a potting shed with gardening books and tools from the early 1900s.

Ostrich Plumes

Ostrich plumes on a four-poster bed.

White ostrich plumes decorate each corner of the four-poster bed (called a 'French bed' back then) in the Jacobean chamber. These would have been very fashionable in the early 1600s. They showed the high status of the wealthy owner, Simon Parry. This bed has three mattresses, which also showed wealth and comfort. The bed also has "bedstaffs," which stopped the piled bedclothes from falling off.

The Hall Gallery

The gallery in the hall.

One of the most striking parts of the house is the gallery that runs along two sides of the hall. The wood for the gallery dates to the late 1600s. The decorative panels with coats of arms were likely added later, perhaps by the Wynne family. The main railings suggest a date around 1680–1690, but the stair railings might be a bit newer, around 1730.

Georgian Dressing Table

An original Georgian dressing table.

This is an original piece of Georgian furniture from around 1720. It would have been a very important item in any Georgian lady's bedroom. At the time, it would have been called a "chest on a stand." This room was created in 1773, and the wooden wall panels are original to the house.

Attic Doorway

The doorway to the attics.

This doorway leads to the attics, which were the servants' living areas during the Georgian period. However, the door is now kept locked, and the attics are undisturbed. This is because they are now home to a bat roost! There are three types of bats living in the attics at Nantclwyd y Dre: pipistrelle, long-eared, and lesser horseshoe bats. The lesser horseshoe bats are the rarest, and their colony here is estimated to have about 60 bats.

Inscription Behind Parlour Panelling

An inscription found behind the panelling.

During the house's restoration, a message was found behind the wooden panelling in the parlour. Written in pencil, it says "John Edwards joiner Holywell 15th of May 1926." This suggests that the old panelling was added to the house as late as 1926.

Inkwell

A pewter inkwell that is also a calendar.

This is a handmade pewter inkwell that also works as a calendar! It has spinning rings around the base that you can adjust for the day, date, and month. It might be from Italy.

Images for kids

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  A memorial to Jane, Eubule Thelwall's daughter at Llanelidan church.

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  A memorial to Gabriel Goodman, born at Nantclwyd in 1528.