Parc Howard Museum
| Parc Howard | |
|---|---|
| Bryn-y-caerau | |
 |
|
| General information | |
| Status | Open, museum and civic park |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Town or city | Llanelli |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°41′22″N 4°09′36″W / 51.6894°N 4.1600°WCoordinates: 51°41′22″N 4°09′36″W / 51.6894°N 4.1600°W |
| Construction started | 1882 |
| Opened | 1886 |
| Renovated | 1912 |
| Client | John Buckley |
| Owner | Carmarthenshire County Council |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James Buckley-Wilson |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Restricted and by prior arrangement |
| Website | |
| Parc Howard Museum & Art Gallery | |
Parc Howard Museum & Art Gallery is a museum in a 19th-century Italianate country house, situated in 24 acres (9.7 ha) of parkland, north of the town centre of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
The lands originally were home to a far older property, Bryn-y-caerau. In 1559, St Albans lawyer Alban Stepney married into the family of Richard Davies, Bishop of St David's. On 31 December 1561 the bishop appointed him receiver-general of the diocese of St David's, and he also served as its registrar. From this point he and his descedents built up the Welsh branch of the Stepney family, and their associated estate.
Part of the original Stepney estate which surrounded Llanelli, by the early 1800s the property and its immediate lands had been purchased by Mr R. T. Howell, a local business man, Harbour Commissioner and member of the local Health Board. After his death in 1853, the property passed through his will to James Buckley Wilson, the son of architect James Wilson, and grandson of the Revd James Buckley. Based in Bath, Somerset he had no need for such a grand house, but he agreed a 99-year lease to his cousin James Buckley (1838–95).
Under the terms of the lease, Buckley commissioned his cousin to design a new large scale addition to the house. However, still wanting more space and to express his money and influence, Buckley recommissioned his cousin in 1882 to undertake a more extensive reconstruction to create the present Italiante style mock-castle in Bath stone, known on opening in 1886 as Brynycaerau Castle.
Originally orientated south-west, Buckley-Wilson reorientated the entrance to the south-east to over look the earlier structures grounds, and the surrounding countryside towards the River Loughor estuary, and onwards towards the sea. He added a central three arched porte cochère (carriage porch) to accommodate the new drive, and the two small symmetrical supporting side extensions have projecting bays. All except the rear elevation are symmetrical, achieved by extending the northwest wing and reconfiguring the out buildings; on all the corners the quoins stand proud. There are square headed windows on the ground floor, and arched windows above. The house is topped by a low pitched slate roof to give a castle-like feel on approach, behind ballustraded parapets with urn finials. There is also a tall belvedere tower rising at the rear. Remodelling the gardens, behind the house sat a kitchen garden with 8 metres (26 ft) pergola and associated small orchard, with access to glasshouses, stables and coachhouse beyond (now converted to council offices and storage). The lodge that was to the south-east of the house has now been demolished. Buckley-Wilson was so proud of the finished structure, that it formed part of his application to be admitted as a fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
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Wikipedia