History

Twyn yr Hydd was built in 1890-3 by Emily Charlotte Talbot for her new land agent, Edward Knox. He had formerly been employed by West Riding Council, and subsequently became chairman of Margam Urban District Council and a JP. The house forms part of a self-contained estate within a larger estate, with gardens and outbuildings surrounded by walls, a ha-ha and entrance gates. The house, like Margam Castle, was supplied with electricity from the estate. When Sir David Evans-Bevan purchased the Margam estate in 1942, he lived at Twyn yr Hydd, considering the castle too large for his requirements. The original marble fireplaces in the drawing and dining rooms were removed.

Exterior

Asymmetrical L-shaped 2-storey house. Main double-depth ranges with E entrance front and W garden front in Old English style. Constructed of snecked rock-faced masonry under red tile roofs. Stone stacks with polygonal clustered shafts. Plinth, moulded string course and gabled half-dormers. Tudor windows with mullions and transom. Lower service wing to N running towards the E with timber-framed gables.

From the L, the E side contains an ornate entrance in a 2-storeyed advanced gabled bay. Round-headed archway in dressed sandstone under square head, with foliate decoration in spandrels. Substantial jambs with moulded imposts, which rise as pilasters. These support a cornice with blind lancet frieze, above which is an ornate stepped heraldic emblem. The 4-tier panelled door is slightly recessed under a lower arch. Mosaic floor in entrance way. Half-dormer cross-window in upper storey. Kneelers support a string course and ornate angle finials. Small oval window in apex with cable moulded surround, keystones to each quadrant and foliate decoration. To the R of the entrance bay, in the centre, is a large 4-light window, flanked by irregular 1-light windows. Above the large window is a gabled half-dormer with cross-window under a relieving arch, flanked by small 2-light windows with a small single light to the far R.

The front of the service wing faces S. Wide advanced gabled bay to centre with timber-framed gable. Long 6-light window, partly into gable, with horizontal glazing bar and quarries, under a high corbelled rooflet. Three single lights below with horizontal glazing bars and quarries. To the L of the advanced bay are 2 single lights, above which are 2 timber-framed gabled half-dormers with cross-windows. To the R is a single-light window to each storey, with a 3-light window to the side of the advanced bay at ground floor level. Beyond the windows is a side stack, corbelled from 1st floor level. The wall to the R is recessed slightly and a stone sun-dial is set into the wall. The E gable end of the service range has timber-framing to the upper storey which wraps round the wall to the S; 2 tiers of vertical panels with diagonal struts in the gable apex above a 4-light window. At ground floor level the wall continues E as a boundary to a yard beyond the gable end, with stone tiled coping. On the N side of the yard is a single storey range with half-hipped roof, with 2 small lights in the gable end with segmental heads. Further opening for pump or water outlet to L.

The S side of the house incorporates the gable end of the E range, and has a half-hipped roof to the W which relates to the W range. In the R gable end is a 1st floor canted oriel window supported on a square pier, with foliate bosses to the underside of the corbel. It contains a cross-window under a hipped stone-tiled roof, with foliate bosses to the eaves. The pier is flanked by lancet windows with transoms. A further lancet is to the L, beyond a corbelled stack which rises from 1st floor level. Above the lancet is a bay window faced in ashlar which rises as a half-dormer containing a cross-window. The roof is hipped to the L and adjoins the stack to the R and has a dentilled cornice. To the L side is a large 3-light canted bay window under a hipped roof to the ground floor. Three-light gabled half-dormer above, with relieving arch and a string course on kneelers.

The W front, overlooking grassland and a ha-ha is relatively plain. It is 5-window, although a butt joint and the termination of the string course suggests that the L bay is an addition. Half-hipped roof to R, tall cross-window and 2-light window above. Octagonal turret 2nd bay from R with swept tiled spire surmounted by a weather vane. Ashlar facing to ground floor, each side containing a single light with transom. Upper level windows are 2-lights with lancet heads forming continuous glazing. Small bay in L angle of turret containing a panelled door under a flat lintel and a 2-light casement above. Lower roofline to L. Two tall cross-windows to ground floor beyond which is a 3 light window. Late C20 2- or 3-light casement windows above.

Long asymmetrical N wall facing enclosed gardens. Three gabled bays, the pair to the R belonging to the main range of the house. Gable end of additional bay to R, with 3-light window to each storey, that above mullioned and that below under a segmental head. To the L and set apart is the gable end of the E range, with half-hipped roof. Aligned in the centre of each storey are 2-light casements under segmental heads with voussoirs. Single lights flanking 1st floor window and to R of ground floor. Short linking wall between the gable ends with a full-width opening under a flat lintel. Recessed half-lit door under segmental head with flanking lights. Set back above is a 4-light window under a small hipped roof. Gabled dormer window to E range facing W. The bay to the L of the gables has 3 single lights under segmental heads with voussoirs. Gabled half-dormer above centre, half-timbered with 2-light casement with C20 glazing. Further 2-light casement to L, with similar glazing. Porch to far L with stone-tiled roof containing panelled door. Immediately to the L is an advanced gabled bay. Ground floor lean-to with hipped tiled roof containing narrow sash windows to either end. A chimney breast rises in the centre from 1st floor level, passing behind the barge boards and rising as an octagonal shaft. It is flanked by 2-light casements under segmental voussoir heads. To the W side is a door in a flat-headed projection and a 2-light casement above it. The bay to the L has a small vent in a heavy surround, and a single light beyond. Single light to upper storey, with timber-framed dormer to L containing late C20 window. A low single storey range projects to the L.

Interior

From the porch, a moulded round arch leads to the entrance hall. The unusual semi-circular stone fireplace with cable moulding and foliate frieze is an original feature. Red margin glazing to flanking lancets. A large segmental moulded arch spans the hall. Timber-panelled ceiling, panelled doors throughout. The drawing room is straight ahead: deep cornice decorated with festoons and egg and dart moulding; large foliate bosses to ceiling; wooden fireplace decorated with scrolls and foliage, and recess with shelves to its R with segmental head. In the far angle, a moulded round arch leads to the octagonal bay. Leading R from the entrance hall is the dining room, with moulded coving and a wooden fireplace. To the L of this doorway is a stair-passage with staircase to L, framed by a wide wooden arch on wooden posts. Open well stair with open balustrades, which are turned above a midrail. Moulded handrail, square newel posts surmounted by foliage finials. A passage at right angles at the bottom of the staircase leads L to the library, also with a wooden fireplace and arched recesses. The stair-passage turns R into the service passage which has round arches and red, black and yellow quarry tiles.

On the 1st floor, the area straight ahead (N) of the staircase is higher. The bedrooms to the N are now offices. Timber panelled ceiling, with raised ridge light above staircase. To the S are 2 round arches over the passage, with rooms to L, R and straight head, with moulded coving and segmentally arched recesses. To the NE, a small staircase leads to 2 small attic rooms, one for laundry. Plain bedrooms for servants, partly in attic, above service area.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as an unaltered late Victorian house in Old English style; historically associated with the Margam estate. Group value with other buildings and structures at Twyn yr Hydd.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29500408

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy