This video shows you the restoration of Llwyn Celyn, a medieval house nested in the Welsh countryside.
The restoration used the latest scientific research and historical archives to reveal the story of this amazing house. During the restoration of Llwyn Celyn, an architectural detail hidden for centuries has been unearthed. It is an original window in the gable wall of the main house. It is possibly a 15th century window.
Key moments: 0:00 Introduction 0:34 Llwyn Celyn’s condition before restoration 1:16 Restoration process begins 1:45 Renovating the roof 2:23 Restoring the original hand-carved oak roof trusses 3:03 Repairing the exterior stonework 3:16 Finding of a historical feature of Llwyn Celyn.
The restoration project took place with the help of many skilled craftsmen and engineers. The renovation team applied several traditional construction method to rescue Llwyn Celyn, such as: Removing tiles by hand and transmit them using traditional method Laying out a Welsh valley Using lime mortar for repair
Llwyn Celyn is a building of the late 15th century. It is regarded by Cadw as one of the finest medieval houses in Wales, and was once part of the Llanthony Priory estate in the Black Mountains region of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Before the restoration, it was used as a farmhouse.
The exact age of Llwyn Celyn or identity of its original owner is still not known. However, the house still bristles with medieval detail—proving that Llwyn Celyn is a medieval masterpiece in Wales.
That’s a brief story about the restoration of Llwyn Celyn, a medieval masterpiece in Wales. If you like this video, please click the Like button and follow our channel for more interesting videos. Thank you.
At the foot of the Black Mountains, a stone's throw from the Welsh-English border,
lies Llwyn Celyn. Until recently, it's been used as a farmhouse. Along with the main building,
there are four outhouses and two substantial barns, and it sits in over 20 acres of land.
The house could be anything from 450 to 600 years old.
For historian Anna Kay, one thing is certain. It's on the brink of ruin.
Well, there's no getting away from the fact that this house is in a pretty dismal state.
Ceilings are collapsing, the wall surfaces are peeling away, the various wall surfaces,
the water comes flowing through here like a river, you know, only hanging on by its fingernails,
really. But you have to look beyond that, you have to look beyond that, because what is
actually behind all the collapsing, peeling, soggy surfaces is the most sensational house.
Incredibly, Llwyn Celyn still bristles with medieval detail.
With winter fast approaching, the team begin saving Llwyn Celyn.
Over centuries, earth from the hillside has built up against the side of the house,
causing water to run through the building when it rains.
We've done big projects, but there's a lot to take on.
There's a lot of earth to come out of here, something like three to four hundred ton of soil.
Fourteen rich.
Wherever possible, the Trust want to renovate using techniques and materials
that are sympathetic to the building's history.
Original sandstone roof tiles that have lasted centuries are removed,
and where possible, saved for later use.
Now we're in the process of just sorting through them really,
because, you know, they're like gold dust anyway.
The house continues to reveal details and features that have survived the test of time.
Five hundred years ago, they would have put an oak peg in the hole rather than an aluminium one.
Once the tiles are off, master carpenters can attempt to
restore the original hand-carved oak roof trusses.
After decades of neglect, they're on the verge of collapse.
Sixty metres of new oak beams are cut to size,
designed to dovetail into the originals and preserve as much as possible of this historic roof.
Big lump of timber, the main beam through the bottom.
Yeah, it's a 10 by 12 inch, and it's six and a half metres long.
Yeah, it's some serious weight there.
You wouldn't want to try and tackle it by yourself.
Exterior stonework is repaired using local red sandstone from nearby quarries,
and lime mortar that, unlike cement, allows the building to breathe.
Now Anna has returned, as another architectural detail, hidden for centuries, has been unearthed.
Really, really exciting thing is we've just discovered a window,
perhaps an original window, in the gable wall of the main house itself, in the solar ward.
And it is possibly a 15th century window.
The exact age of the house, or identity of its original owner, is still not known.
But each new discovery could bring the team one step closer to proving their theory
that this really is a building of great historic value.
Spending a lot of money just to enjoy a view
suggests that the original owner was rich and powerful.
