Llanfynydd and the Mystery of Nant Gwilw

Description

Discovering Nant Gwilw

According to my map, Nant Gwilw was a mile or so west of the village of Llanfynydd. I drove slowly along typically narrow and winding Welsh country lanes and as I began the descent into the valley of Afon Cothi, I spotted this extraordinary tower across the fields (see Image 1). My map identified the structure as Pant Glas Hall. I have since discovered that the mansion was built circa 1810 by the owner Nicholas Burnell Jones to replace a previous building, but his stay was brief. In 1822, he sold Pant Glas to David Jones of Blaen-nos, Llandovery, a wealthy banker, unrelated to the previous owners. David Jones's son was High Sheriff in 1845, and Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire from 1851 to 1868. He was followed by his son, F. A. Gerwyn Jones, High Sheriff in 1887, who died unmarried in 1903 leaving Pant Glas to his sister. Sometime after 1920 Pant Glas was sold, and later became a hospital under the auspices of the County Council. In 1972 it was sold to a speculator. Pant Glas is now a luxury holiday complex.
The building was a very ornate residence of three storeys with a tall tower, in the Italian style, and set in some 40 acres of grounds and parkland. See here for an account of the history of Pant Glas.

After photographing Pant Glas Hall, I continued the steep descent into the Cothi Valley and eventually found the lane leading to Nant Gwilw. The remaining photographs concentrate on Nant Gwilw and its surroundings.

Image 2:

The first views of Nant Gwilw through the trees.It was immediately obvious that the property was derelict.

Image 3:

Stone steps lead up to an opening in the end wall of the building (left), while the< corrugated-iron structure (right) had partially collapsed. The track in the centre of thepicture leads to a deserted house.

Image 4:

Despite the ruinous state of Nant Gwilw, there is enough evidence to suggest thatthis building may perhaps have been a cattle-shed and storeroom, or even a mill.

A few yards along the track between the building above and the corrugated-iron barn is this former residence (Image 5). Although this house is also derelict, the presence of plastic waste pipes suggests it may have received some fairly recent attention. For further details, see Update - March 2009 on next page.

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/archive/030222-3.htm (link opens in new window)