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Welsh Architecture and its influences over the centuries
Welsh Architecture and its influences over the centuries
Sain Ffagan: Amgueddfa Werin Cymru - St Fagans: National History Museum - YouTube
Our research has shown that thatched roofs was a technique used through the centuries until slate was discovered to be a more reliable roof. Our presentation will show you how our architecture has developed over the centuries. You may even recognise some of the buildings!
A Welsh thatched longhouse, named Swtan, dating back to the 16th century. Originally used by crofting families and now restored and open to the public
Ty Hyll / The Ugly House
• These resulted from the old custom of claiming property rights if a house is built in one night with a fire burning in the hearth by sunrise ! This was known as Ty un Nos or 'house in a night'.
The history of the Ugly House (Ty Hyll) is very vague. Putting a guide book together about it was very difficult, but the legend says it was built back in the 15th century by two outlawed brothers, based on the old Welsh law of ty unos – a house of a single night. If you could build four walls and havesmoke coming out of the chimney between sunset and sunrise, you got the freehold of the land.
• Most Tai Unnos were originally made of turf and soil, with a roughly thatched roof.
• Once established, the walls were often replaced with local materials, including clay and stone.
• The squatter/settlers, who generally worked in local quarries and mines, built up small holdings and began to practice farming.
The Tai Unnos (One Night Houses) influenced architecture over the centuries. Here are some examples of traditional Welsh houses, which have been rebuilt in St Fagans.
1508
Hendre'r Ywydd Uchaf farmhouse, St Fagans
Hawk and Buckle Inn cockpit
Stryd Lydan Barn, St Fagans
Nant Wallter Cottage
Cae Adda byre
Abernodwydd Farmhouse
Kennixton Farmhouse
High quality timber and slates, which were made available
via the new railways resulted in the emergence of superior,
two-storey cottages.
Single storey Ty Unnos cottages were modified by raising the
roofs and enlarging the windows.
The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in northwest Wales
TODAY’S INFLUENCES
Senedd influenced
• with approximately 1,000 tonnes (157,500 stone) of Welsh slate used.
The building was designed to reflect the many different parts of Wales with local Welsh materials that dominate its history: slate, metal, wood and glass.All the materials used come from Wales; the Centre was built from 1,350 tonnes of Welsh slate,
Wales millennium centre
The building was designed to reflect the many different parts of Wales with local Welsh materials that dominate its history: slate, metal, wood and glass.All the materials used come from Wales; the Centre was built from 1,350 tonnes of Welsh slate,
