- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 5,648
- Reaction score
- 11,336
1. The History
Baron Hill Mansion lies parkland to the north of Beaumaris, Anglesey. The first house at Baron Hill was built by Sir Richard Bulkeley in 1618. During the English Civil War, Richard Bulkeley's successor, Colonel Thomas Bulkeley apparently invited King Charles I to take possession of the house and set up his court there. In the early eighteenth century the house was the seat of Richard Bulkeley, 4th Viscount Bulkeley who maintained Jacobite sympathies.
An old drawing of the manor:
2020-09-26_10-22-25 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The house was then reconstructed in 1776 by architect Samuel Wyatt in a Neo-Palladian style with its curved façade, terraces, follies, and balconies. Additionally, an icehouse in the gardens and a lodge house were also constructed. In the nineteenth century the occupants of Baron Hill remained the dominant Anglesey landowners, possessing estate also at Llanfairfechan and other parts of Caernarfonshire.
Old map of the estate:
2020-09-26_10-23-19 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Royal visitors in the shape of King Edward VII:
2020-09-26_10-30-44 by HughieDW, on Flickr
During World War I, death duties exhausted the family fortune and made it impossible for the family (by then known as the Williams-Bulkeley’s) to maintain the house. Like many large country houses during the Second World war, it was requisitioned by The Royal Engineers in 1939 and used as temporary housing for Polish soldiers. They found the home too cold and decided to start a fire within the mansion so they would be moved to new accommodation. The fire destroyed a large part of the interior and the soldiers achieved their aim and were removed from the house but only to tents in estate’s grounds. The mansion was then abandoned afterwards and is still to this day.
Post-second world war, the manor was a ruin:
2020-09-26_10-29-58 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill has been a Grade II Listed Structure since 1950. In August 2008, very ambitious plans were submitted to restore the house and turn it into luxury apartments, but predictably, nothing ever came to fruition.
A couple of archive pictures of the mansion, back in the day:
2020-09-26_09-25-35 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron-hill 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
2. The Explore
If you are on Anglesey, like Porth Brickworks, this place is something of a rite of passage. It’s a well-trodden path to this place but it is no less enchanting because of that. Having parked up on the road and walked up the hill I came to the overbridge and up and round. Instead of heading in the direction of the house I first headed in the opposite direction, past the overgrown lodge in search of an icehouse I’d found on the old maps. After a while I came across it’s retaining wall and after a bit of a scramble I was up and in. It was a bit of the estate that most people don’t see.
Then it was on to the main attraction. It’s pretty much far gone but very photogenic (although, not easy to photograph). Spend the best part of an hour here and didn’t see a soul.
3. The Pictures
Walking up the road to the overbridge:
Baron Hill 01 by HughieDW, on Flickr
First up is the lodge. Very overgrown and hard to photograph:
Baron Hill 03 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Then on to the icehouse:
img7830 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 04 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7831 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The back to the gardens of the main house:
img7840 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 17 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And the stunning colonnade:
Baron Hill 07 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 06 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The on to the servant’s quarters:
Baron Hill 12 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 11 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 10 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 09 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 08 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7851 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Then the main house itself:
img7856 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7860 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7862 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7864 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7866 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7868 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7869 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Possibly the only bit of original ceiling plaster left in the whole house:
img7876 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill 15 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img7856 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Baron Hill Mansion lies parkland to the north of Beaumaris, Anglesey. The first house at Baron Hill was built by Sir Richard Bulkeley in 1618. During the English Civil War, Richard Bulkeley's successor, Colonel Thomas Bulkeley apparently invited King Charles I to take possession of the house and set up his court there. In the early eighteenth century the house was the seat of Richard Bulkeley, 4th Viscount Bulkeley who maintained Jacobite sympathies.
An old drawing of the manor:
2020-09-26_10-22-25 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe house was then reconstructed in 1776 by architect Samuel Wyatt in a Neo-Palladian style with its curved façade, terraces, follies, and balconies. Additionally, an icehouse in the gardens and a lodge house were also constructed. In the nineteenth century the occupants of Baron Hill remained the dominant Anglesey landowners, possessing estate also at Llanfairfechan and other parts of Caernarfonshire.
Old map of the estate:
2020-09-26_10-23-19 by HughieDW, on FlickrRoyal visitors in the shape of King Edward VII:
2020-09-26_10-30-44 by HughieDW, on FlickrDuring World War I, death duties exhausted the family fortune and made it impossible for the family (by then known as the Williams-Bulkeley’s) to maintain the house. Like many large country houses during the Second World war, it was requisitioned by The Royal Engineers in 1939 and used as temporary housing for Polish soldiers. They found the home too cold and decided to start a fire within the mansion so they would be moved to new accommodation. The fire destroyed a large part of the interior and the soldiers achieved their aim and were removed from the house but only to tents in estate’s grounds. The mansion was then abandoned afterwards and is still to this day.
Post-second world war, the manor was a ruin:
2020-09-26_10-29-58 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill has been a Grade II Listed Structure since 1950. In August 2008, very ambitious plans were submitted to restore the house and turn it into luxury apartments, but predictably, nothing ever came to fruition.
A couple of archive pictures of the mansion, back in the day:
2020-09-26_09-25-35 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron-hill 02 by HughieDW, on Flickr2. The Explore
If you are on Anglesey, like Porth Brickworks, this place is something of a rite of passage. It’s a well-trodden path to this place but it is no less enchanting because of that. Having parked up on the road and walked up the hill I came to the overbridge and up and round. Instead of heading in the direction of the house I first headed in the opposite direction, past the overgrown lodge in search of an icehouse I’d found on the old maps. After a while I came across it’s retaining wall and after a bit of a scramble I was up and in. It was a bit of the estate that most people don’t see.
Then it was on to the main attraction. It’s pretty much far gone but very photogenic (although, not easy to photograph). Spend the best part of an hour here and didn’t see a soul.
3. The Pictures
Walking up the road to the overbridge:
Baron Hill 01 by HughieDW, on FlickrFirst up is the lodge. Very overgrown and hard to photograph:
Baron Hill 03 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 02 by HughieDW, on FlickrThen on to the icehouse:
img7830 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 04 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7831 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe back to the gardens of the main house:
img7840 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 17 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd the stunning colonnade:
Baron Hill 07 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 06 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe on to the servant’s quarters:
Baron Hill 12 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 11 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 10 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 09 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 08 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7851 by HughieDW, on FlickrThen the main house itself:
img7856 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7860 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7862 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7864 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7866 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7868 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7869 by HughieDW, on FlickrPossibly the only bit of original ceiling plaster left in the whole house:
img7876 by HughieDW, on FlickrBaron Hill 15 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg7856 by HughieDW, on Flickr
