Plas Newydd, Llangollen facts for kids
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Plas Newydd is a historic house in the town of Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales. It means "new hall" or "new mansion" in Welsh. For almost 50 years, it was the home of two famous Irish ladies, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby. They were known as the "Ladies of Llangollen." Today, Plas Newydd is a museum run by Denbighshire County Council. You can visit it to learn about their lives and see their unique home.
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A Unique Home
The Ladies of Llangollen
In the late 1700s, Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby decided to live together. This was quite unusual for their time. They moved to Plas Newydd, which was then a small stone cottage. Over the years, they made it much bigger. They added many interesting Gothic-style features to the house.
At first, their families were surprised by their choice to live independently. However, over time, the ladies and their unique lifestyle became accepted. Many famous people visited their home. These visitors included writers like Robert Southey and William Wordsworth. Even important figures like Sir Walter Scott and the Duke of Wellington came to see them. The industrialist Josiah Wedgwood also visited.
Beautiful Gardens
The ladies also worked hard to make their gardens beautiful. They added many special features. For example, they built a "ruined" archway to look like an old castle. They also created rustic bridges over small streams. A special temple in the garden even had a stone font from the old Valle Crucis Abbey. They grew exotic fruits in fancy greenhouses. They also put up poetic signs on the trees.
Plas Newydd as a Museum
After Lady Eleanor Butler passed away in 1829 and Sarah Ponsonby in 1831, the house had several different owners. General John Yorke added the black and white designs to the outside. He also filled the inside with interesting items from around the world. In 1932, the local council bought the house. Since then, it has been a popular museum for everyone to enjoy.
House Design
The original cottage was made bigger by the ladies. Later owners in the 1800s also added more parts. Today, the house looks much like it did when the ladies lived there.
Unique Oak Carvings
The most special thing about Plas Newydd is how it looks on the outside. The ladies collected many pieces of old oak carvings. These came from broken furniture or old church decorations. They put these carvings all over the outside of the house, like a giant patchwork quilt. The carvings are from different time periods. Many have simple, traditional designs. There are also Gothic-style black-and-white patterns and carvings. The ladies also added a lot of beautiful stained glass to the windows.
Gallery
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Photograph by John Thomas, around 1875
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Around 1875
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The porch
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The façade
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The Plas Newydd Tower
