Plas Mawr

 A few weeks ago I promised a post on the 16th century house we visited in Conwy whilst on a short trip to Wales.  Plas Mawr is on the High street in the main part of the town. It is said to be the finest surviving Elizabeth town house in Britain, a house of the golden age of wealthy merchants who invested their money in property.

It was bought by a former diplomat named Robert Wynn (1520-1598) at a cost of £200.  He was the third son of local landowner John Wyn of Gwydr. Between the years 1576 and 1585 he turned the property into a desirable, opulent residence which reflected his standing both within the town and further afield.   

Visitors pass through the gatehouse across the courtyard and up the steps to the main building.

There are seventeen rooms in all on three levels.  The first room that visitors enter is the hall.  By the time of Robert Wynn's ownership the medieval main hall had become a reception area for visitors and also where the servants would eat and where household members and tenants would gather.

I love the little details and the replica dishes, bowls and jugs

There was a dressing up area for children and hats for adults to try on.

The next set of rooms on this level are the kitchen, passage, pantry and brewhouse (photos below)

It was at this point that my camera battery ran out so any further photos are Paul's.  I had taken so many photos in the previous two days and also quite a few at Conwy castle.

The Upper Courtyard which led to the dairy and gardens.

The Upper Terrace showing part of the garden and summer house.

Above the Great Chamber.  Recent restoration work has brought the house back to life.  Some of the heraldic plaster work has been decorated as it would have been in Robert Wynn's time.

A corner in Dorothy Wynn's bedroom which, on the floor plan of the house, was called the chamber over the parlour.  Robert Wynn was married twice first to Dorothy Griffith and secondly to Dorothy Dymock. Robert Wynn's bedroom was called the chamber over the brewery.

Up in the roof.  Over the centuries the house became a court house, a school and then an art gallery.  It has been in the care of the Welsh heritage agency, Cadw since 1993.

  I coped with the spiral staircases into the roof but the further staircase into the tower was just a step too far.  I waited in the exhibition gallery where there was an interesting exhibition on Health and Hygiene in Tudor times.

 Paul did manage the stairs  to capture the view below.

Quite late in his life Robert Wynn became the member of parliament for Caernarvonshire and then, in 1591 he became Sheriff of the county.  He died in 1598 and is buried in St Mary's church which you can see in the photo above.  Apparently his tomb is in the chancel.  Next time we visit I must pop in there to take a look.

In the Garden

 It's been far too hot to work or even sit in the garden this last few days.  The pop up gazebo was put up last Saturday but was only used until Monday when it became far too hot even in the shade to be outside until about eight o'clock in the evening. 

The warmer weather has encouraged everything to flower.  We are inundated with foxgloves.

Bees love them.

The yellow rose bush we inherited when we first moved here has had more flowers on it than I have ever seen before.  I'm not sure what type it is but the flowers have a lovely scent and progress from dark yellow to almost white as they mature.

Yellow Flag Iris in the pond.  They have taken over again this May.  Each year they get thinned out.  These too were inherited from the previous owners.

They and the other plants are draining the pond so we have had to top it up from the rainwater butts.

Also in the pond we've had Damselflies flitting around.  Two pairs.  

I think these are the more common Large Red Damselflies.

It was interesting to see them using the pond over several days.

There are loads of little apples forming on the apple tree.  I guess a lot of these will drop but it's good to see them after all the lovely blossom.

Strawberries, gooseberries, elder flower and sweet peas are on the way.  

Last but not least my very favourite plant the Philadelphus  Belle Etoile or 'Mock Orange'.  I'd wanted one for ages and we bought this last year.  Many years ago I worked in a 15th century hall and behind our museum office was a herb garden bordered by a mock orange hedge. The scent in the air as we made our way across the courtyard to the museum stores was wonderful.  I looked forward to it flowering each year.

There is so much to enjoy and  look forward to in the garden.  Much needed to calm the mind and lift the spirits in this very uncertain world.

All for now.

Peter at the Factory

Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit that is, at the Emma Bridgewater factory and shop.  We popped in yesterday morning for a coffee in the café and a look around the hidden garden which is looking wonderful.

Beautiful  purple Alliums 

Blue Delphiniums

 Pink Lupins and Poppies.

Peter was in the courtyard in front of the café. 

The statue of Peter Rabbit was made in collaboration by Wild in Art artist Jina Gelder and Emma Bridgewater Head of Design, Sophie Gilmour using the sponge ware patterns for the new pottery designs celebrating the birth of Beatrix Potter 160 years ago.  More information - here.

Peter Rabbit is to move to the North East as part of the Tales on the Tyne sculpture trail in aid of the St Oswald Hospice.

Peter Rabbit is an enduring character who is always popular with all ages.  He and all the others will be auctioned on October 13th in aid of the hospice.

More of Bodnant Gardens.

 Luckily on our visit to the National Trust's Bodnant Gardens the afternoon weather was quite dry, sunny and warm.  No sudden downpours of rain like there had been in the morning.

There are lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore as you work your way down to the Mill via the terraces and ponds.

First we wanted to see the huge Laburnum Arch that Bodnant is noted for.  It was looking lovely but I suspect it would be at its zenith this week and possibly next.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas added lots of colour to the garden. 

It was one of those times where there were so many photo opportunities.  In the end I decided just to enjoy the atmosphere, colours and textures of the garden.

Above one of the many gardeners and volunteers who keep the garden looking so wonderful.

Wisteria on the Edwardian Italianate terraces.

The Pin Mill is a Grade II listed 18th century building. I can remember visiting one summer and this pond was alive with Dragonflies and Damselflies skimming all over.  

The Old Mill built c 1827 and the way down to the arboretum where there are many unusual trees.

Down in the Dell, the bridge over the River Hiraethlyn.

We only had a certain amount of time before we needed to move on and check into our accommodation for the next three nights.

Time to make our way back to the courtyard, plant centre and car park.