Llannefydd, Denbigh, LL16

Vendor Insight – Ty Gwyn

How long have you owned the property?
“We are proud owners for 20 years – we purchased in March 2004.”

What attracted you to this specific house and location?
“Our first viewing was on a dark stormy October evening. The owners were busy repairing rocking horses in the Workshop. The house was warm and welcoming – you could not hear the storm! We didn’t see the garden or the magnificent view until our second viewing.”

What would you like to tell parents about the benefits or raising children here?
“Ty Gwyn offers freedom and safety, adventure and the experience of being surrounded by nature and the seasons. There is wildlife aplenty – John saw a vixen with six cubs one evening, looking down over the valley at dusk. Deer, badgers, rabbits, hares, squirrels, owls (one is nesting in the walnut tree), buzzards, kestrels, red kites, herons.
We are also surrounded by traditional agriculture and Ty Gwyn offers the opportunity to keep poultry and small animals. Our grandchildren adore Ty Gwyn!”

What made you choose Ty Gwyn over other properties available at the time?
“We had a young family at the time and wanted to move away from the increasing traffic and bustle to a more tranquil place. We were also looking for a project to occupy us when our elder children were leaving for university. We were looking for space to pursue our hobbies and interests – especially more space outside. Ty Gwyn satisfied all these desires and the new owners can enjoy what we have done and pursue their own projects and interests.
Ty Gwyn is unique and incomparable. It has history, solidity, permanence.”

What about the history of the property and how it has been adapted?
“Ty Gwyn was built in 1627. It’s hard to gauge its original purpose. It’s position on what would once have been an important highway might mean that it was a hostelry of some sort. It was used by the vicar of Llannefydd as a vicarage in the second half of the 17th century. The parish records show that it was in the occupation of one family for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. It probably formed part of the Dyffryn Aled Estate. It was gifted to a maid at Bryn Aled (the property below Ty Gwyn down by the River Aled) in the late 19th century and she sold it to Isaac Roberts in 1919. He remained at Ty Gwyn until the early 1960s, when the house was purchased by a Mr Dwerryhouse of Bryn Aled, who did some modernisation. It later belonged to a famous sculptor called MacPherson before passing to a family from Oxford, who used it as a holiday home for a number of years before selling to us.
It was a working farm until the early 1960s. The outbuildings became Mr MacPherson’s studio and later the workshop of his daughter-in-law, who repaired rocking horses!
We adapted the Barn as a music studio and have held parties there, along with music lessons and little soirees.”

What changes have you made to the house since you’ve owned it?
“We have completely renovated and updated the house. The changes made since the 1960s had left the property very tired and not very functional. Downstairs, we moved the door into the utility room and removed most of the internal dividing walls to create a better flow. Upstairs, all of the rooms (except the main bedroom) were re-arranged, again to create a better flow to the property. The non-load-bearing internal walls were created using green oak, all carefully made with mortice and tenon joints, pegged with oak pegs. These have matured and provide a lovely atmosphere and aesthetic.
The roof and roof timbers (other than the purlins) are all new (in 2008), the windows have all been installed since we moved here and the exterior finish (lime mortar pointing and limewash finish) was completed about three years ago.”

What is your favourite room and why?
“That’s a difficult one, but we think the kitchen/living room is our favourite. It is the heart of the house. There is nothing to compare when the family comes to visit – three or four of us cooking; one perched on the bar stool with a glass of wine; the older grandchildren chatting with their parents around the dining table or sitting in the inglenook, whilst the youngsters watch videos in the lounge adjacent, where we can hear them and they can hear us!
Ty Gwyn is warm in winter and cool in summer – the 3-4 foot stone walls insulate the house from extreme weather, whether that be hot or cold. It is elevated above the valley and, being South-facing it enjoys every moment of sunshine from dawn until dusk at every time of year – even on the shortest day.”

What changes are you most proud of and why?
“We’re proud of everything we have done – mainly because we were able to make Ty Gwyn into a comfortable, functioning house. There are still opportunities for a new owner to express themselves. We have had plans drawn for the Barn, making it into a heavenly space for visitors or guests. It’s not a massive project, but at our age it isn’t one for us to take on!”

Memorable/remarkable events?
“There have been many – family Christmases; family parties; musical soirees for visiting students. The most recent was finding an owl is nesting in the walnut tree.”

What do you love most about the house now?
“Ty Gwyn is a tranquil escape from work and stress. Here one can live in comfort, be close to nature and still be only 15 minutes from the A55. There are days when you can stand in the garden and not hear any human sound at all.”

What do you love about the local community?
“Llannefydd is a strong, established community. It has its own pub (the Hawk & Buckle), football team, ancient parish church, Presbyterian Chapels. There is an annual flower show and pony show. Ty Gwyn is about six miles from Llyn Brenig (where ospreys are nesting) – which has a wealth of water activities, beautiful woodland walks, mountain biking etc.”

What will you miss most?
“We will miss the peace and quiet, being able to hear the birds sing and lie in bed, looking up at the stars. There is no sound pollution or light pollution or air pollution.
“Ty Gwyn” translates as “White House”, but “Gwyn” can also mean “blessed” in Welsh.”

* The comments above are the personal views of the current owner and are included as an insight into life at the property. They have not been independently verified, should not be relied on without verification and do not necessarily reflect the views of the agent.