Plas Taliaris, Manordeilo and Salem (Manordeilo a Salem), Carmarthenshire

History

Gentry house of Gwynne family from early C16 to 1787, probably rebuilt in mid to later C17, assessed at nine hearths 1670. Refronted in Bath stone for Richard Gwynne (d 1753) after 1722, some alterations for Robert Seymour Conway (Lord Robert Seymour) owner 1787-1831. Owned by Peel family from 1833 to 1967. Restoration from c1989, Peter Holden, architect.

Exterior

Earlier C18 refronting of c1660 house, though possibly including earlier work (cf roof structure). Basement and three-storey, five window c1725 Bath stone ashlar S front, and unpainted stucco five-window E front, hipped roofs behind parapets and rendered stacks. L-plan with infill in NW angle. Main front 2-1-2 bays with projecting centre, raised rubble plinth, rusticated ground floor, smooth upper floors with rusticated quoins to centre and channelled piers to outer angles, modillion cornice, coped parapet and four gadrooned urns. Basement has four blocked windows. Ground floor has C19 plate glass windows, narrow to match those above but oddly with straight joints indicating narrowing. Centre flight of steps up to ashlar Roman Doric two-column porch with pilaster responds, half glazed door and overlight. Porch could be early C19. Platband, five first floor long 12-pane sashes with alternating pediments, moulded architraves and keystones. Centre window and architrave are oddly set back to plane of others in plain recess within fine aedicule with apron panel, fluted Ionic pilasters and pediment. Upper floor has short 12-pane sashes in similar architraves with keystones, but no pediments, centre window and architrave similarly inset. All sash-boxes are concealed.
East front is simpler, channelled angle piers, with matching cornice broken forward over angles, parapet with urns on rusticated corner piers and fielded intermediate piers (three urns removed for repair), and two bands. All above in ashlar but otherwise front is of unpainted stucco with windows framed in stucco architraves matching those of main front (without pediments). Exposed box sashes, plate glass ground, 18-pane first floor, 12-pane upper floor. Centre sash-door with 6-pane upper sash in early C19 large Roman Doric painted porch with two swollen columns and pilaster responds. Set back wing to right with basement door and 12-pane sash to ground and first floors, ashlar architraves, cornice and parapet. Big N end half-external stack with one slated off-set. Hipped roof running back to half-hipped main roof. First and second floor 12-pane sashes in W return. To right is one-window three-storey section with door, 16-pane sash and 6-pane sash, lighting stair, and then, to right, projection with brick-headed 12-pane sash ground and first floors. Roof slope above has Myddfai stone slates. A truncated NW wing possibly C19 has one-window rubble stone W face, then to right a rubble stone one window range with stone slate roof and one Venetian window each floor, brick heads, cement surrounds. Set back to right, rendered low two-storey link to rear of S front, three-window with 12-pane horned sashes and door to left remodelled in C20. W end wall of main house is rendered with one blocked first floor window.

Interior

Outstanding interiors suggesting a complex building history. Panelling of earlier C18 in entrance hall, and Bath stone small fireplace. SW room has outstanding plaster ceiling in eight deep-set panels with heavily plastered and decorated beams, the ceiling looks of later Cl7 and panelling is apparently cut to fit around, but there is the possibility of two phases for certain motifs refer to a 1722-3 Gwynne/Rudd marriage for they incorporate Gwynne/Jones ravens, bulls' heads and lion but also Rudd bells. The style of the motifs is crude, but the main beam leaf work and some scroll-work is `of more sophisticated style. There are similarities to plaster at Newton House, Edwinsford and Coalbrook of 167Os. Over the door and fireplace are painted classical scenes after Claude. Coloured marble fireplace. Arched niche with original deep blue paint on S wall. SE room is enlarged from two with detail (shutters, doors) of the early Cl9, the shutters overlaying earlier C18 fielded panelling, and the same is evident in NE room. Spine corridor continues to very fine c1660 staircase, still Jacobean in style, with heavy carved newels with finials and pendants, thick moulded rail and turned balusters. This extends in four flights up to attic. First floor panelled SW room similar to room below, panelled doors. One reset later C17 panelled door. In attic of W range are very complex roof details, massive tie-beams, some supported only on stud wall of stair hall, with later king-post-and-angle-strut trusses. S range has smaller tie-beams, extensive internal lining in red brick, presumably earlier C18 and there is one earlier C18 fireplace matching that in entrance hall. One E room is plastered with cornice and two panelled doors, another has much eroded painted Italian scenes, probably later C19.

External Links

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