We visited Erddig ,a National Trust property in North Wales, on a very hot day in June. We were treated to an interesting talk by a volunteer, who took us around the outside of the house on a guided tour. I’m saying “treated”, but unfortunately it was so baking hot we were glad to rest in the shade afterwards! We had a nice lunch of home produced food and Welsh ice cream.
What is exceptional about this house is the collection of portraits of the servants. There are paintings and photographs commissioned by the Yorke family. Philip Yorke the 1st started the custom of writing little poems about the servants such as: “Long may he keep the woods to order. To weed a walk, or trim a border”. Erddig really is a fascinating glimpse into the upstairs/downstairs life. The Trust has made several adaptions to the building and grounds to make it more accessible.
The estate sits on a hill above Clwedog river and is a haven of natural beauty. The Trust restored the house and gardens after years of decay. Originally the landscape gardens were the work of William Emes and included the unique Cup and Saucer waterfall. Also there are rare species of fruit trees in the orchard and an important collection of Ivies. It was also interesting to see some excellent wood carvings.
There is a warm welcome on this Welsh hillside.
P.S. An episode of the Antique Roadshow was recorded at Erddig on a very hot day last summer and is being shown on TV on 13th January.