Behindtheheadlines WALES’ HISTORICAL BUILDINGS AT RISK

W ALES is in danger of losing some of its most historically important buildings, and therefore its history, according to architectural historian Dr Mark Baker.

An expert on the architectural history of Wales, Dr Baker co-authored the book 50 Buildings That Built Wales.

Now he has warned that as a nation we risk losing some of our most important cultural assets.

And to highlight that plight the expert has identified five historically significant Welsh buildings at risk.

These are their stories...

Hafodunos, Llangernyw

This building was designed by the famous architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, whose vision also helped create London’s St Pancras train station.

It is the only example of his work in Wales.

“This is such a travesty,” said Dr Baker.

“It was built by an English family called the Sandbachs who went native so they became more Welsh than the Welsh.

“This is a love story. Henry Sandbach married a girl called Margaret, the daughter of one of the Slave Act Reformer MPs.

“She grew up in Wales and thought of herself as Welsh. She was a great artist and writer and was the muse for a sculptor called John Gibson.

“They created a great collection of statues and art that are now in the National Museum in Cardiff.

“She died tragically at the age of 40 from breast cancer.

“Her husband was so upset that he knocked down the old house and built this one in memory of her.

“In the middle of a planning row in 2004 it was gutted by fire. All the interiors were lost.

“It is in the process of being restored now by private owner Dr Richard Wood. He is slowly putting it back, it is a labour of love.”

Kinmel Hall, Abergele

Grade 1 listed Kinmel is a huge building, called a calendar house because it has 365 rooms.

It was one of the largest private houses in Wales and was dubbed the Versailles of Wales.

It was built by the Hughes family, who were relatively humble Welsh farmers.

Dr Baker said: “On their land on Anglesey they found one of the biggest copper deposits in Europe.

“They became filthy rich, like winning the lottery.

“The copper industry was really born in Parys Mountain on Anglesey.

“It was exported all over the world and this house was built with the proceeds. They were so rich it was the third house they built on this site.

“It was a tale of great opulence, they copied Versailles and Hampton Court Palace. It was vast and never really used properly. It was a story of having too much money and not enough friends to enjoy it with. It wasn’t a terribly happy house.

“It was leased by the family, became a school and then became a Christian conference centre.

“The family then sold it and it has now bounced around the market several times in the last 15 years.”

Sale prices have ranged from several hundred thousands pounds to about £15m and it is now owned by an absentee owner.

Dr Baker thinks this is cause for concern.

He said: “No maintenance being carried out, so it is slowly slipping away.

“The local authority or Welsh government could track down the owner if they wanted to.

“They need to take a tough stance else it could end up as some of the others.”