William Jernegan, 1794
Ink and watercolour, 65 x 97 cm
PE 5213
William Jernegan, 1794
Ink and watercolour, 65 x 97 cm
PE 5213
South Wales' outstanding economic advantages for smelting Cornish ores were demonstrated by Robert Morris in 1727. Here was the nearest coalfield to the Cornish copper ore deposits. Morris estimated that it was much cheaper to smelt copper in the lower Swansea Valley than in Cornwall and that coal costs in places such as Flintshire and Lancashire were as much as three times as high. The navigability of the Tawe encouraged the bankside development of smelters at Hafod and Landore similar to the one depicted by Jernegan. Ships arriving with ore returned with coal for Cornish homes, mine pumps and engines.
Jernegan was for several years Swansea's principal architect. A Channel Islander who had settled in the town during the 1780's. he was responsible for many local houses and religious buildings. These included the octagonal villa called Marino, built in 1783.
Purchased in 1816 by John Henry Vivian, it was later incorporated into the capricious Singleton House.
PLAN FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE OLD MALT HOUSE INTO A STUDIO AT LLWYNYBRAIN
Ernest V. Collier, 1911
Ink and watercolour, 58 x 78 cm
Llwynybrain Collection (10)
The early years of the twentieth century witnessed the dramatic demise in the fortunes of many landed estates. Tenant farms and their lands were sold off to raise much needed capital. Between 1918 and 1922 at least a quarter of tenant farms in Wales were on offer, most being purchased by their occupiers. This practice continued through following decades. Some demesne properties, which formerly attended large estates became surplus to requirement. Such buildings fell into disuse or disrepair or acquired a different function, sometimes after radical conversion. Today, building conversion is far more prevalent, for example many former chapels are now homes or business premises.
The history of this building is unknown, but as a malthouse it was aptly located within a few miles of Llandovery, eminent during the nineteenth century for its many inns and taverns. These beerhouses, mostly of late eighteenth century origin, plied transient cattle drovers with local brews prior to the coming of the railway in 1870.
WREXHAM COLLIERY OFFICES
Stanhope Bull, 1914
Ink and watercolour, 39 x 54 cm
PB 9867
The rich deposits of coal, copper, iron and lead in the Wrexham area have been exploited for centuries. The earnest development of coal resources for domestic and smelting purposes dates from the early seventeenth century, major exploitation beginning in the mid nineteenth century with the sinking of several pits. The industry had a significant effect on the population of Flintshire and Denbighshire which increased by 10 per cent during the first decade of the twentieth century.
Today there is little evidence of the mining industry and its community. Mine buildings and many terraced miners cottages have been demolished and spoil tips removed, reprofiled and grassed.
GWAITH COCH LEAD MILL
G.T. Bassett, 1918
Ink and watercolour, 55 x 105 cm
Crosswood / Lisburne Collection (433)
The wooden framework of Gwaith Coch lead mill crusher house, north Cardiganshire, was probably an unusual commission for this Aberystwyth architect, particularly at this time when the industry was in decline. Bassett was also responsible for this exhibition's Buarth Road houses, but like many other local architects we see that his work was not always confined to the domestic.
In this building lead vein material, already sorted for quality, was crushed by a pair of robust cast-iron rollers rotated by a water-wheel. The fine emerging ore was sieved, swept along by water and deposited in a box containing an upper section for the heavier particles and lower one for the lighter. This initiated a series of sorting processes aimed at recovering the maximum amount of ore.
Lead mining in mid Wales, of pre-Roman origin, was characterised by low levels of activity interspersed with upsurges in production from the thirteenth to eighteenth century. Low ore prices in the early nineteenth century hindered expansion, but recovery began with rising prices in 1834 and Cardiganshire and Montgomeryshire mines launched into intense activity for forty years. A marked fall the price of lead in 1878, combined with other factors, brought decline so severe that even the stimulus of high prices during the First World War was insufficient to revive the industry.
MILL LANE AND THE HAYES, CARDIFF
Falcon D. Hildred, ca. 1980
Watercolour, 20 x 73 cm
PE 5458
Cardiff's retail centre, in common with those of other British cities, has experienced profound changes since the 1970s, the shopping environment being enhanced by the two dominant planning priorities of traffic exclusion and pedestrianisation. This panorama predates redevelopment involving the pedestrianisation of the Hayes and the construction of new shopping, hotel and leisure complexes to the east and south. Fortunately these west-side buildings and arcade, so typical of Victorian Cardiff, remain. Tabernacle Chapel with its Regency facade dates from 1865. Designed by John Hartland, it is thought to be the finest and most original of his several city chapels.
THE NORTH WEST VIEW OF CAERDIFFE CASTLE, IN THE COUNTY OF GLAMORGAN
Samuel and Nathaniel Buck, 1741
Print, 15 x 36 cm
P 710
Topographical works, particularly prints, include houses, castles, religious buildings and towns and are an important source of architectural knowledge. Often we do not know precisely why a topographical work was executed and its value to architectural studies may be purely incidental.
A Roman camp in the first century heralded the start of the constant occupation of this site. The keep, its mound and moat are Norman, whilst the octagonal tower of today's castle, was built in the mid fifteenth century, a spire being added about 1875. Adjoining portions soon followed the completion of the tower and the north wing was built towards the end of the eighteenth century. During the late nineteenth century the castle was transformed by partial rebuilding and exotic restoration by architect William Burges in association with his affluent patron, the Marquess of Bute.
The Buck brothers are famed for their engraved views of British antiquities which in total number over five hundred plates.
CARDIFF CASTLE
? Dixon, 1797
Watercolour, 19 x 27 cm
PE 4890
Dixon's west view from Cowbridge Road shows us a stage in the evolving architecture of Cardiff Castle, together with houses in West Street. Compare this, for example, with Samuel and Nathaniel Buck's engraved and highly detailed northwest view of 1741.
NAVAL TEMPLE, KYMIN HILL
Various architects, 1798
Ink and watercolour, 36 x 25 cm, 36 x 24 cm, 16 x 20 cm, 17 x 27 cm
PA 9318/3-4, PA 9318/6-7
The proposals for a 'naval temple' at Kymin Hill, Monmouth to commemorate Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile, 1st August 1798 form an unique set of thirteen drawings in total. They display small porticoed buildings with stone benches and fenestrated octagonal and round towers in several simple and elaborate styles. A circular pavilion was eventually selected, erected in 1800 and dedicated to the Dutchess of Beaufort, daughter of Admiral Boscawen. Lord Nelson, accompanied by Sir William Hamilton was entertained at the site to a breakfast by the Mayor and Corporation of Monmouth in August 1802. The pavilion was restored in 1882. High, conical Kymin Hill with its prospect of the Wye Valley and its environs is now owned by the National Trust.
OLD BARRACKS, ABERYSTWYTH
Christopher Hall, 1979
Acrylic, 34 x 49 cm
PB 9831
The Old Barracks, Penglais Road, shown at the point of demolition, originated as the garrison of the Cardiganshire Militia. Militia men, recruited throughout the kingdom since the Middle Ages, were to be ready and equipped in times of strife and war. In Cardiganshire enlistment certainly dates from the reign of Henry VIII. The Barracks, built at the time of the Fenian riots to accommodate permanent staff date from 1867 to a design by railway engineer J.W. Szlumper. They remained the headquarters of the local Militia until its disbandment in 1909. A Government loan enabled the town council to purchase the building , then convert it into much needed dwellings by 1912. Considered unfit for habitation it was demolished in 1980 amidst much objection from conservationists.
The paintings of professional Berkshire artist Christopher Hall capture the architecture of the aging and often vanishing domestic and industrial buildings commonly associated with South Wales. For over two decades he has painted regularly throughout Wales, his wide subject range also encompassing rural and agricultural scenes.