Saturday 17 November 2007

Luxury bathroom !


I love this little Dell with it's stream and overflowing baths, 'scrub em out light a fire and i'd be sorely tempted to have a soak!!

Wednesday 5 September 2007

Splandid isolation.

Perched on the brow of a hill, sturdy and strong, this dwelling as been empty for years, but at least some care is shown with the tin roof stopping the weather getting in.. A home in waiting..
I often wonder did people buy these houses when they where dirt cheap, with a dream,,,and just forgot about them or maybe they don't want to relinquish there dreams yet.

Tuesday 7 August 2007

A little more about Hafodunos...


I managed to find the book about the hall and the sandbach family that lived there, and reading through for snippets to tell i found this lovely poem written by Margaret Sandbach.....
HAFODUNOS
Here we pass our rural life;
Here,enclosed in mountain nook,
Read we nature's varied book.
Here on gardens flowery ground
Spreads a loved enchantment round;
Lawn and stream and fountain clear,
yew tree's shade, in summer dear;
Border trim, and terrace walk,
Where we stroll or sit and talk,
And the winding ways that lead
To the wood's and to the mead,
Oh this pleasant garden ground,
What a charm it spreads around!
Here the rhododendron bed
show's spring it's brilliant red;
rich and rare,of eastern birth,
Nursed in our ambitious earth;
There beside the murmuring brook,
Azaleas light and lovely look;
Daphne's fragrance scents the air,
And there stems the lilies rear.
here the pinks so small and sweet,
Flower mine eye delights to greet,
Favourite flowers!A gift to me
from one we never more shall see.
Roses spread their welcome bloom,
And there own unique perfume;
sulphur pale, and blush, and white,
damask, moss, and crimson bright;
roses how we love them all,
fairy low, and climber tall!
Grey old gale, wreathed with these,
standing out 'mid sheltering trees,
Don's his summer coat,and wears
Gayer smiles with growing years.
Seated in our Laurel bower
Where clematis her starry flower
Mingles with the shining leaves,
And wild hop it's garland weaves;
Here we muse and catch the light
straying o'er the garden bright,
Through branches dark of ancient yew,
Of statley growth and sombre hue-
We hear the birds from shady bough,
Chant their music sweet and low;
On the fir trees spiral height
See the shining blackbird light,
Straining his expansive throat,
With that long delicious note-
And i think, no misers gold
Clutched within his eager hold;
Students hard won, longed for prize,
Spread before his weary eyes;
Fame and state and fair success,
All the world calls happiness-
No nor Izaak waltons love
for his darling banks of dove;
The poets for his poplar trees,
When he woo'd the summer breeze,
Could be pleasure half so sweet
As we within our garden meet.
This book is worth buying..Hafodunos hall. triumph of the martyr by mark baker..
Having read some of magarets writing's, i'll feel even more watched by ghosts, as i wander through, and enjoy her garden..
"But i feel she wouldnt mind one bit".

Tuesday 17 July 2007

Ty Bach.


This absolutly adorable teeny wweeeeeny cottage, i think is a holiday home now, but at least it has some care shown to it, the doorway is about 4ft 6 high we parked the mini there to show the size, i read the census, and 12 people lived here in 1845 ,4 of them where adults.

Tuesday 10 July 2007

Hafodunos Hall.


Built by the Sandbach family in the 1820s on the site of a much older house, this beautiful building sat empty for years until it was set alight by vandals about 3 yrs ago, i'm glad i saw it before the destruction.
It's surrounded by a wildly romantic victorian garden full of huge specimen trees an shrubs..
access is now restricted but a walk has been renovated through the garden.

Saturday 30 June 2007

Hovel in the hills!

Looking down on Moel Siabod
The well kept out buildings.






This charming cottage and outbuildings with magnificent views could tell us all some stories. The outbuildings are still in use and are in better repair than the house...the facia board above the door is in cut slate i've not seen this before..This cottage looks out over moel hiraethog to the front and the snowdonia to the rear .. and yes i was trespassing....worth it though.

If any of you ever read "The hovel in the hill's" by elizabeth west, this house is a neighbour of "Hafods".

Tuesday 19 June 2007

Des res with outbuildings and views..

This picturesque cottage in an enviable location, over looking the snowdonia range and the dinbych moors behind... It's fab and always been empty as far as i remember..That wonderful barn has got the biggest rock wired to hold the roof down [on the right]....

Wednesday 13 June 2007

Will i be saved or will nature reclaim me??


What is it about neglected abandoned homes that brings out the romantic in me? I could sit there for hours imagining the builder first of all and then the family that moved in, the births the deaths, the laughter the tears the struggle of just living day to day.

This old farm house on the side of bodran still had the barn and staircase and roof when i first saw it 20yrs ago, i don't know why it was abandoned but the owners residents on a nearby farm have done nothing to stop the decay if anything they've encouraged it..and have refused numerous offers for it....as you read these blogs you'll notice just how mad! folk like them make me.