Welsh Journals

Feb., 1876. BYE-GONES. 13 castle, at 4d per head, produces about £20 a year. Sorely in a much larger place, such a* Dolgelley, the pay¬ ments for visiting this old building, if satisfactorily restored, would amount to more, and consequently would be a good return f<T an expenditure of £150. As to its being used as a Museum ; arci ae ilogical feeling in Merionethshire must very much increase before it can be satisfactorily established as such. I had flmnst; forgotten to say that no part of the exterior of the building is so old as of the age of Owen Glyndwr.— Yours, &c, W. The following is Mr Phipson's report :— To the Committee for the preservation of " The Old Parliament Home," at Dolgelley. Gentlemen,—I have made a careful examination of the build¬ ing c mmon y known as the 0!d Parliament House, for the pur¬ pose of ascertaining its value as an historical memorial, its architectural and artistic merits, and its present condition : also the best means for its preservation, and its adaptability for a museum or other ueful purpose. The historical interest of the building arise* from its tradi¬ tional connecti n with the name of Owen GU-ndwr, the correct¬ ness of which, in the absence of direct or documentary proof, can ODly be assumed, if not at variance with the probable age of the bui ding. Glendwr first appeared in arms "gainst Henry IV., and caused h ms* If to be proclaimed Pri ce of Wales in the year 1400. He assemhled the es ates of Wales at Machynlleth in 1402, when he was formally crowned. He appointed ambassadors to and formed a league with Charles VI. of France in 1404, which treaty was ratified at the camp be¬ fore Lampeter, in J.muary, 1405. The appointment of ambassa¬ dors is dated from Dolgelley, as given in Rvmer's "Fceiera," " Dat apud Doleguelli decern die mensis Maii Mcccc qiarto ; et princiuatus nostri quarto." This was, I presume, the oc asion of the Dolgelley Assembly or Parliament. There is very little architectural mould ng or ornament by which to judge accurately of the age of the building, which has undergone several alterations and mutilations ; the most orna¬ mental portion is the timber framing with the ogee headed door and '• linen pattern " panels at the end against the Post-office. This indicates a da'e not earlier tban late in the fifteenth cen¬ tury, bat it is so different in character and in workmanship from all the other existing portions that I believe the house itself is of earlier date, probably of the middle or later part, of the four¬ teenth century, ai.d consequently that the traditional connection with Glendwr may be correct. The building, independently of its historical association, is valuable arcbaeol. gic«lly, as a relic of a bye-gone age, as well as for the many features of architectural and artistic interest which it possesses, and is a very good specimen of a mediaeval mansion on a small scale. The accompanying measured plans, Nos. 1 and 2, will assist in explai ing the f. llowing description of its arrangement. The hall (the chief apartment in a mediaeval house) is to the right of the entrance passage, from which it is separated by the screen, ai d was formerly open to the roof, but is now .-ubdivided, and ha- had an upper floor inserted. In the screen are two original doorways, one of which is clesed ; over the entrance passage is a small room, formerly the minstrels' gallery, overlooking the hall through the arch now filled up in the timber partition. To the left of the entrance is a room, now subdivided, having the cellar underneatk, and a chamber, pro¬ bably the solar or private parlour, over. At the end of the en¬ trance passage is the wing containing the kitchen, offices, and an upper storey with three rooms. The o-iginal entrance to the kitchen is at the end of the passage, the present doorway from same into court yard being mod* rn. The internal stairs from the hall are modern, bu' are in the original position. The outer steps and doorway from court yard to upper floor over kitchen are modern; the h*ad of the doorway shows the mortices for the timbers whch have ben removed. I am of opinion ihat these roou,s originally communicated with the fiont portion of the building by a doorway corresponding with the kitchen door¬ way underneath. The most interesting portion of the building architecturally is the kitchen wing, with its very picturesque timber framing, curiously constructed upper floor, with the diagonal tie beams, and its ancient fire places. The upper windows of the kitchen wing are very good, but ?""*.mutilated, and the remaining shutters are worthv of note, the hinges being formed of pivots cut out of the solid wood of XXX the shutter, and inserted into sockets in the heads and sills. The door into the solar chamber is constructed and hinged in a similar manner. The other portions of the buildiog of greatest interest are the timber arch of the gallery, and the linen panelled framing before mentioned at the end of the hall. The chimney of the hall con¬ tains S' me curious brickwork, which isancieat.if not coeval with the origi.al house. The stone walls and chimney a*-, the end of the kitchen wing are altogether modern, the angle posts and part of the original timber franing being now built in the ma-onry. I have no doubt that the hall and other portions of the front part of the house were originally constructed of timber as indi¬ cated by the excellent but mutilated framed gable at the end facing the p opined street; the stone front wall, with the en¬ trance archway is evidently of very late date, and the windows are entirely modern. If it sho 1 be decided to pr-serve the bu'lding, tVie exterior should be put into a substantial state of repair. The outer stone woik should be • aretully repaired and pointed, th >t underneath the timber framing especially may require fo be par hilly rebuilt. All deficient an t decayed timbers sh ubi be reinstated, and the windows of the kitchen wing restored in their original character. Tne removal ot the modern window frem the framed gable, and the restoration of the deficient timbers, will involve a new win¬ dow to t'.e upper chamber. Tnis shou d be made in character with the other old work, and placed in the original position in the dormer roof, which will be seen after the removal of the ad¬ joining cottage. The removal of this cottase will convert the party partition into an outer wall, which it may be necessary to Complete in stone to ma'ch the front wall ot the hall. The lath and plaster panels between the timbers shsuld be re¬ paired and restored where deficient. The slating of the ro >f should be tborougb.lv examined and re¬ paired to render the building watertight. The framing of the upper storey over the kitchen has been thrust outwards by the roof, and should be secured by an iron tie rod across the build- in carrying out the above suggestions, care should be taken that no existing old timbers are removed unless so far decayed as to > e useless. The accompanying sketch No. 3 shows the appearance of the building when externally restored as suggested. To restore the building internally, and render it fit for inspec¬ tion by visitors, I should recommend the fallowing repairs and alterations :— The hall should be restored to its original form by removing the modern parti'ions, floor, and ceiling; the deficient foot of the principal which has been cut away to allow fur the modern back window should be restored, and the wind w modified ac¬ cordingly, and the roofing timbe-s generally of the hall and solar chamber repaired; the effect of the hall would then be as shown by sketch No. 4. In the kitchen wing the loft floor should be removed from the roof, and the floor and roof strengthened by inserting a prop at each intersection of the floor bjann and between the beams and roof princip <ls, to prevent further sagging; also new fl >oring should be laid in the.-e rooms, and a communication opened with the front portion of the premises. The modem internal partitions are shown on the plans with¬ out tint. la addition to the above, the interior generally should be thoroughly cleansed, the plastering repaired, the woodwork care- fu.ly scraped, and the deficient parts restored, and the old doors and other characteristic joiners' work carefully preserved where possible. If it should be determined to utilize the building for the pur¬ pose of a local museum, it might be preferable to rem )ve the ancient internal partitions from the kitchen wing, so as to con¬ vert each floor into one large loom, and the living and bedrooms on ground floor might remain as at present for occupation as keeper's apartments. The sheet of sketches No. 5 illustrates a few of the most in¬ teresting details, as a record in case the building should be destroyed. It is difficult to form an estimate of the cost of carrying out these repairs an 1 restorations, as it dep -nds greatly upon the condition the old work is found in when uncovered, but I am of opinion that from £150 to £200 each for the external and in¬ ternal restorations will be sufficient.—I am, gentlemen, yours obediently, 16, Ann-street, Birmingham, A. B. Phipson, December 9th, 1875. Architect.