The stature of one of the best of the Revivalist castles in Britain does not give this castle justice. Featuring architecture designed to leave you in awe, gardens to have you wandering in serenity, and a wealth of history presented in art, models, text and museum pieces. This castle is a full day out for the whole family and one that should be on everyone's list of places to go.
To donate and support our channel: www.buymeacoffee.com/TheyhadadaA
Filmed: Summer 2023
Music: Vindsvept, fantasy - • Otherworld - Fantasy/F... - Vindsvept, fantasy music - • Beyond the Dreaming Wo...
Entry: Paid (Free for National Trust Members)
- Short History
- The Penrhyn estate was founded by Ednyfed Fychan in the 15th century.
- His descendant Gwilym ap Griffith built a fortified manor house and adjoining chapel on the site in the 15th century.
- In the 18th century, Richard Pennant, 1st Baron of Penrhyn acquired the estate.
- Pennant derived great wealth from his ownership of slave plantations in the West Indies and was a strong opponent of attempts to abolish the slave trade. He even chaired the West India Committee, an alliance of 50 MPs opposed to abolition.
- His wealth was used to develop the slate mining industry on his Caernarfonshire estates.
- He also invested heavily in the development of the transportation infrastructure necessary for the export of his slate products.
- The creation of Port Penrhyn saw the Bethesda quarries become the world’s largest producers of slate.
- In the 1780s Pennant commissioned Samuel Wyatt to undertake a reconstruction of the medieval house.
- The estate would later pass to his cousin, George Dawkins-Pennant in 1808.
- Dawkins-Pennant rebuilt the house in the form of a Neo-Norman castle.
- He would also appose the abolition of slavery and in 1833 was significantly compensated when the Slavery Abolition Act was passed.
- In 1840, the estate would pass to Edward Douglas-Pennant and then to his son.
- They were opposed to trade unionism at their quarries which resulted in many bitter strikes which culminated in the Great Strike of 1900-1903, the longest dispute in British industrial history.
- The castle was mainly used during the summer months as a holiday home and the only development was that the interior was enhanced by a collection of paintings.
- This allowed guests such as Queen Victoria and her son, the Prince of Wales, to be entertained.
- The castle had its own in-house fire brigade.
- Two conifers were planted, one by Queen Victoria and one by the Queen of Romania.
- In 1951, the castle and 40,000 acres of land passed to the National Trust.
- The art collection inside is of international importance and the castle itself is amongst the best of the Revivalist castles in Britain.
- A Railway Museum features some of the best preserved engines in the country.
#Castle #NorthWales #Slate #Penrhyn
- Further Reading
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrhyn...
- Follow Us On Social Media
- Facebook: / thadhistory - @THADHistory
- Instagram: / theyhadaday - @Theyhadaday
17 июл 2023
