Yesterday, at very short notice, I was given the opportunity to view and photograph a historic Welsh farmhouse before renovation commences. An e-mail from a friend of mine alerted me to the possibility of this access a few days ago but it wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that everything came together and final arrangements made. Even then I was unsure whether I’d be able to attend as I had another appointment only 45 minutes before our scheduled meet time.
The house is recorded in history as the birthplace of Dr Richard Price (1723-1791), I shan’t go into his life story here as it’s fairly extensive and is well documented, so have provided a link to the website of the Richard Price Society.
Although I was vaguely aware of the house and its history I did a little research and soon located it courtesy of Google’s aerial views. The scene from above showed the house surrounded by vegetation and it clearly looked abandoned. Apparently, the previous owner lived alone in the house for many years and as she become older so used less and less of it until her latter years were spent in one downstairs room, only leaving that room to use the bathroom adjoining. The house has been derelict and not lived in for the past twenty or more years but only recently have descendants decided to sell.
At the appointed time I was able to meet up with my photographer friend Colin along with another friend Dave Smith who is an expert on interior photography of abandoned places. Us three, along with six others, mostly historians, then walked the half mile from our meeting place to the location where we were to be met by the new owner. On arrival at the site we were welcomed by the owner who then proceeded to split us up into two groups each led by one of his site officials. This arrangement didn’t actually work as some, like me, waited until others had moved to the next section so I could complete the photography. The house was illuminated well on the interior which is just as well as every window is securely boarded and it would have been pitch dark inside without it.
The owner and his site crew were very accommodating and allowed us access to everything whilst keeping a close eye on our safety. The photographers among us were much slower in recording each of the rooms but we were not hurried along. All the while it was pouring with rain and I was anxious the weather was not going to lift to enable me to photograph the exterior of the building. It did eventually slow down a little but didn’t really allow me sufficient time to photograph as much as I would have liked before the visit came to an end.
The first two photographs show the spiral staircase from the kitchen to the first floor and the following two pictures show the kitchen oven. This is the room the last resident lived in and the photographs below that show the bathroom with a 1930s fireplace and a corner of the tiled section of the room where the bath was originally.
The room behind the kitchen had a further three doors, one to another staircase to the first floor, one to the bathroom, one to the front door hallway and one to the double-roomed cellar. The stairs shown here are to the cellar and the next two photos are inside the cellar.
The roof space was accessible via a rickety staircase and the two photos following show this.
The bedrooms were quite roomy but some had no floors so access was not possible, however the next four pictures show three of the larger bedrooms.
Finally, it did stop raining long enough to take a few photographs of the exterior, some of which I’ve already shown you.
All the photographs will enlarge in a new window, some are directly linked to my flickr site.
Andrew Petcher said:
Great pictures – what an opportunity!
Glenys O'Hagan said:
Thanks, really interesting photos
opobs said:
Thanks Glenys, it was a really interesting visit!
Helen Giles said:
You know growing up near Llangeinor we of course had the Richard Price center, but it wasn’t until I came to America that I really learned all about what he did, what a man and I am really proud that he was Welsh and from my valley. Thank you for the photos they are great!
opobs said:
I’m the same Helen, until I had the opportunity to photograph this house I was unsure exactly what Richard Price had done; thanks for the comment!
Marty Langford said:
I had never heard of him until a few years ago. France and USA owed much to his ideas and yet few know of him in his homeland. His work in insurance is also fundamental. I was bussed to school in the Garw for five years back in the fifties and he was never mentioned. We make so little of our historical figures, William Price, Iolo Morganwg and Captain Morgan -a varied selection. Quite why, I don’t know unless we fear the wrath of our colonial masters. Great ‘before’ pictures, necessary and so glad you had the opportunity and maybe you will have a chance again after the renovation.
mr J E WILSON said:
Yes excellent photo’s l wonder if anyone has any information on the person’s buried in the front garden l be leave names to be thomas l think husband and wife?
opobs said:
I wasn’t aware of that fact until after I had visited, otherwise I would have made some enquiries at the time. I didn’t notice any grave markers or stones in the front garden which is now cleared of undergrowth, but then I really wasn’t looking!
Laurie Lea said:
I believe the last residents were my neighbours (in the 70s) Merlin and Anequin Carpenter. Merlin, whose family ran coaches in the Garw valley before the second world war pre-deceased his wife. I remember her telling me that she was named after a village in France.
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Jeff Murray said:
Just came across your site and the excellent photos of Tynton. Merlin and Anequin were the last residents and Anequin survived Merlin by some years – I attended her funeral a few years ago. I grew up in the village and remember them well, my mother was a close friend of Aequin and I spent many times at the house and around the farm: it always felt like going back in time even then (in the 70’s and 80’s). I see the refurbishment works are still ongoing and hope they do the property some justice.
laurielea@gmx.co.uk said:
I also knew Merlin and Anequin in the seventies when my wife and I were living in the cotages nearby. Such a kind couple. I wonder if the renovator has put the bed in the kitchen/living room ? Merlin liked to save heating too many rooms and the roof (good old corrugated) leaked like a sieve. Merlin used to love to tell tales af driving a coach up to London in the early fifties – around 20 hours away from home for a round trip in those pre motorway days. And wasn’t Anequin named after a first world war battle (or village) ?I think I also remember a horse named Vaynor (?)
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Elyssa said:
Hi there, would it be possible for you to contact me please. many thanks
opobs said:
Sadly my brother Mike passed away in October 2017.
Geoff (his brother):