Derwydd Mansion, Derwydd Road, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, SA18

A unique property of significant historical importance, a substantial Grade II* listed 15th Century Tudor Mansion.

The mansion house is set in about eight acres within a beautiful, secluded valley. There are seven reception rooms and fourteen bedrooms in the property and it offers a unique opportunity as many historical features remain.

The mansion is grade II* listed and its listing describes the house as:

A substantial Tudor mansion, albeit reduced from its original ambitious scale, retaining 17th century interiors of exceptional quality and completeness, and with 19th century additions which reinterpret the architectural theme.

The property has a rich and interesting history including the belief that Henry Tudor stayed here on the way to the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The listing describes some of the history as below:

Derwydd may incorporate remains of, or stand on the foundations of, a 15th century or older house; it was here, in the house of the Tudor knight Sir Rhys ap Thomas, that Henry Tudor was said to have sheltered on the way to Bosworth. In 1550 Derwydd was the house of Rhydderch ap Hywel ap Bedo. The existing house, however, is essentially a later Tudor mansion, a house with a main range north-south and at one time possessing two wings to the west side, towards the road; in 1670 it was described as a house of 18 hearths, making it one of the largest in the County."

Accommodation Ground Floor
The front entrance leads into the grand main hall. Further quotes below are taken from the listing description:
“The room is dominated by the large (Jacobean) fireplace with its segmental stone bressummer and the fine overmantel of 1644: this displays the Vaughan arms on an oval.

Double archways lead off to an inner hall. Off the inner hall on the left is a sitting room (old library) with coffered plaster ceiling in four square panels with copious floral enrichment; guilloche ornament to the beam soffits;... This room also dominated by its fireplace: a fine Jacobean surround and overmantel, partly restored, in dark wood."

Off the sitting room is a useful store room/cellar. Again off the inner hall is a cloakroom and bar with barrel ceiling. An impressive Tudor style staircase rises up to the first floor hallway with wood burning stove and doors leading off to the other reception rooms.

First Floor
Above the library is the room known as 'the King's Room', otherwise the Drawing Room. Late 17th century ceiling and fireplace. Deep frieze and cornice to the ceiling with cartouches and heraldry at intervals, with linking floral trails and little modillions under the cornice.

On this floor are two further large sitting rooms, a study, conservatory, the old kitchen and pantry, a later impressive modern kitchen with bespoke cabinets and an adjacent utility room. There are two bedrooms with a sitting area on this floor together with a small kitchenette giving with adjoining bathroom with shower over bath and separate cloakroom giving flexibility for use as a small self-contained apartment.

The larger bedroom at the south end of the older part of Derwydd is entered by a Jacobean door with an arch-headed top panel above the lock rail and two panels below. This room is plain apart from a ceiling with large coffers, the sides of the beams moulded but not enriched, and a fine Jacobean fireplace."

A fine feature of the 1888 alterations to Derwydd is the Tudor style staircase. This rises from the inner hall, the space behind the arcade at the north of the main hall. At the head of the main flight is a quarter landing, with a lesser flight ahead to the upper hall on the first floor and a side flight to the corridor of the older part of the house....Integral with this design is panelling to staircase dadoes and cupboards, in similar wood, arcading on the upper floor, and stone arcading in Perpendicular style forming a side lobby to the lower staircase.

Second Floor
On the second floor of the main house are a further eight bedrooms of varying sizes that overlook the grounds and gardens. These share the use of family bathroom with a deep cast iron old bath, separate shower room and separate cloakroom.

Annexe/West wing
Attached to the main house (with access doors internally if required) with its own separate entrance is an annexe/west wing that has been used as a separate self-contained cottage for family, guests and holiday letting. An entrance hall (first floor on floorplan) with cloakroom and store room off also provides access to two ground floor bedrooms. Stairs rise up to the floor above (second floor on floorplan) where there is fitted kitchen, living room, two further bedrooms and a shower room.

Further details below

Local information

• Derwydd Mansion is set in a rural location only about a mile west of the hamlet of Derwydd in the historic county of Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales, famous for its castles and Towy River. Although enjoying a rural aspect it is convenient to local towns including the popular market town of Llandeilo (about four miles to the north) with shops and nearby national railway services at Ffairfach station (only about three miles away from Derwydd Mansion).
• The town of Ammanford with primary and secondary schools is also only about four miles to the south-east while the A48 M4 link road is about six miles to the south-west providing quick access to south Wales (Swansea about 22 miles and Cardiff about 65 miles) the Severn Bridge and into England.
• For those that enjoy the outdoors the surrounding countryside offers a wealth of areas to explore including Dinefwr Park National Nature reserve owned by the National Trust, numerous castles including Dinefwr and Carreg Cennen, the former Brecon Beacons National Park (now called Bannau Brycheiniog National Park) and the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Additional information

• Externally: Derwydd Mansion sits in landscaped grounds and gardens with lawned areas, mature trees, bushes, hedges, flower borders and large walled garden with old greenhouse. Since February 2022 the gardens are now a Registered Historic Park and Garden Grade II.
• The listing reads:“Derwydd is registered for its historic interest as a small late nineteenth century garden also incorporating earlier features including a pre-1809 terrace. The garden can be divided into several distinct areas. The area to the front (west) of the house and to the north of the upper drive is essentially a pleasure garden. To the north of the upper drive is the orchard. To the east of the orchard and to the north of the house is the walled garden. To the north-east of the house are the woodland walks. One of the walks that winds through the woodland terminates at the `painting' lawn, so called because from here there is a view across to Trapp and the Black Mountains, a view that the family and friends enjoyed painting."
• There is also ample parking area for a multitude of cars for events, wedding parties etc. The majority of the land is around the house with some strips of land across the council road. In all, the property extends to about eight acres (stms: subject to measured survey).
• Walled garden and stone-built cottage
• At the head of the walled garden is a character, tastefully decorated grade II listed stone-built cottage with a distinctive pyramid roof. The cottage appears on the Tithe map of 1876. This cottage features cosy living accommodation and has been used as a holiday let and bride and groom accommodation when the site was used as a wedding venue. There is an open plan kitchen living room on the ground floor and a comfortable bedroom with shower room on the first floor. The listing describes these as a
• “Good example of a formal walled garden with a 19th century cottage” on the axis, listed also for group value with Derwydd mansion.
• Adjacent to the stone cottage is a listed greenhouse that has a peach tree and vines that is said to be the one of the largest Messenger greenhouses in Wales.
• In the walled garden are two large wrought iron gates, one leading to a secret wood with views towards Carreg Cennyn and the Black Mountains and the other to the orchard. Behind the greenhouse is a small patio area with a hot tub surrounded by decorative wooden frame together with separate parking area for the cottage, that leads down the drive to the main gates.
• Outer wall and gates
• The property also has impressive walls on its boundary in places and these together with the entrance gates are grade II listed. The gates are electrically controlled and the entrance has CCTV.
• According to the listing, the walls are “Probably late 19th century, contemporary with the enlargement of the house c1888. A fine freestanding wall mostly three metres in height, with a coping of upright stones slightly crenellated."
• General Remarks and Stipulations
• Grade Listings:
• Mansion: Grade II*
• Walled garden and cottage: Grade II
• Outer wall and gates: Grade II
• Registered Historic Park & Garden: Grade II
• Sun dial: Grade II
• Messenger greenhouse: Grade II
• Mains electricity, private bore hole water and private drainage. LPG central heating. Main House Council Tax Band G. Flat: Band B.
• Fittings & Contents
• Unless specifically described in these particulars, all fittings and contents are excluded from the sale though the majority would be available by separate negotiation including original furniture and historical artefacts. Further information is available from the vendor's agents.
• Wayleaves, Easements and Rights of Way
• The property is sold subject to and with the benefit of all rights, including rights of way, whether public or private, light, support, drainage, water, and electricity supplies and any other rights and obligations, easements and proposed wayleaves for masts, pylons, stays, cables, drains and water, gas and other pipes, whether referred to in the Conditions of Sale or not. Please check with the Highways Department at the local County Council for the exact location of public footpaths/ bridleways.
• Plans, Areas and Schedules
• Any available plans, areas, and schedules are for identification and reference purposes only. The purchaser(s) shall be deemed to have satisfied himself as to the description of the property. Any error or mis-statement shall not annul a sale or entitle any party to compensation in respect thereof.
• Council Tax band: G
• EPC Exempt
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