Notable Houses in and around Llanelli
Llangennech Park House
Sale details - The Cambrian, 16 December 1820
Annual Sale - The Cambrian, 30 August 1828
Llangennech Park To Let - The Cambrian, 30 August 1828
Death of Alfred Sartorius - The Cambrian 10 February 1893
Llangennech Park, home of Richard Janion Nevill
Llangennech Park House was built, between 1803 and 1805, in a field east of Buwchllaethwen, the original Mansion House, which had belonged to the Stepney family. The new Mansion House, which was described as a large house of singular construction, stood in a well wooded part on the left of the road leading to Pontardulais, facing the river Llwchwr, and was the property of the Earl of Warwick and John Vancouver, who had purchased the Llangennech Estate from John Symmons, an industrial speculator from London.
Llangennech Park Mansion House was described as having: an Entrance Hall; Main Hall; Morning Room; Dining Room; MusicRoom; Billiard Room; Office; Rent Office; Boudoir; Bathrooms; Panelled Bedrooms; Dressing Rooms; 2 Tomato Houses; Laundry; Coach House; 2 Vineries; Servants’ Bedrooms (6); Stable & Farm Stable.
In 1804 The Cambrian of 29 September reported – ‘Lord Warwick, we hear, has purchased Mr Symmons’s delightful estate, called Llangennach [sic] Park, near Llanelly. – Mr Vancouver, brother to Capt. Vancouver, will reside thereon as agent to his Lordship.’
John Vancouver and the Earl of Warwick ran into financial difficulties and had to surrender their estate to John Symmons. However before doing so Vancouver planted over 460,00 trees and built 3 cottages on an artificial mound near Llangennech Parish Church, called Pen Clawdd y Dommen.
Between 1821 and 1824 Symmons had sold his Estate to another industrial speculator, Edward Rose Tunno, also of London. Shortly after Tunno purchased the Llangennech Estate, Mr T J Margrave moved into the Mansion House, only to move to Plas Isaf Mansion later.
The Cambrian, 16 December 1820
LLANGENNECH PARK
TO BE SOLD BY PRIVATE CONTRACT
THE LLANGENNECH PARK ESTATE, in Carmarthenshire, eleven miles from Swansea, four from Llanelly, sixteen from Carmarthen and Llandilo, two miles from the mail-coach road to Milford, and on the banks of the river Burry, which is navigable for ships of large burden.
This Estate consists of a Mansion, an ancient Deer Park, and, in all, is full 2,500 Acres of Land, chiefly let to responsible tenants; and the Tithes of the Parish of Llangennech, with the Presentation to the Perpetual Curacy.
There is a most important Bed of Coal under this Property, and Collieries are extensively worked - upon which are the necessary Steam-Engines, Tram-Roads, &c. &c. The Estate abounds with Limestone, and on it are erected the Spitty Bank Copper Smelting Works. The whole forming a singular opportunity for the investment of a large capital.
Printed particulars may be had of Evan Folkes, Esq. Solicitor, Southampton-street, Covent-garden;
of Messrs. Lemans, Solicitors, Bristol;
or Mr Wakefield, Landsurveyor, 34 Pall-Mall, who is authorised to treat for Sale of this Property.
CARMARTHENSHIRE
Llangennech Park Annual Sale
Mr MORGAN of Llangadock
Begs to inform the Public, that he is instructed to offer
FOR SALE BY AUCTION
On WEDNESDAY, the 10th, and FRIDAY, the 12th of SEPTEMBER, 1828
A Valuable and well-selected STOCK of CATTLE, HORSES, and SHEEP; also IMPLEMENTS of HUSBANDRY, OATS, BUTTER, WOOL, &c. viz. About sixty head of cattle, consisting of cows, heifers, and steers, of the Devon Hereford, Castlemartin, and Scotch, breeds, several of which are quite fat ; fourteen horses, of the saddle, harness, and cart kind, some of which are well bred; from fifty to sixty purebred Leicester ewes, wethers and rams; a quantity of various implements of husbandry, harness, &c.; several mows of tithe corn, a rick of hay in good condition, five hundred Winchesters of old oats in lots; several tubs of prime butter, and a quantity of wool.
Gentlemen Farmers and Butchers will find the above Stock to be worth their notice; and the proprietor intends to dispose of his Draught Stock yearly, by Auction, the whole will be sold without reserve; and credit given to the 3d of June 1829, on [sic] approved security.
The sale to commence each day at eleven o’clock; and the Live Stock will be sold on the first day.
Note
Wether – a castrated ram
Winchesters – various measures, such as as quart, bushel, pint, etc, the standards of which were kept at Winchester.
Holden’s Trade Directory of 1830 shows Robert Duncan, Esq. of Llangennock [sic] Park.
In 1833 Llangennech Park, described as ‘A Capital Mansion in Carmarthenshire’ was advertised ‘To Let’ in The Cambrian of 5 January. Further particulars were available from Mr L Margrave of Trosserch, Llangennech.
A CAPITAL MANSION IN CARMARTHENSHIRE
TO LET
WITH POSSESSION AT LADY-DAY NEXT
LLANGENNECH PARK HOUSE; pleasantly situate on a Lawn, well sheltered, and in the centre of Park-like Grounds, with Entrance Lodges. The surrounding scenery is diversified and highly picturesque.
The Tenant will have the privilege of Sporting on the Estate; a Trout Stream runs through the Park, and there is also good Fishing in the neighbourhood.
The Mansion is in every respect adapted for the occupation of a family of the highest respectability, and the apartments are both numerous and of ample dimensions.
There is Stabling for ten Horses, and a Double Coach-house. The Tenant can be accommodated with Any quantity of rich Pasture Land adjoining the house.
The property is within three miles of the sea-port and market-town of Llanelly, eleven miles from Swansea, and eighteen miles of [sic]Carmarthen, and the roads in the neighbourhood are very good. The turnpike-road between Swansea and Llanelly passes the Lodge Gates.
The post arrangements are highly convenient.
For further particulars, apply to
Mr L Margrave, Trosserch, Llangennech, Carmarthenshire.
Letter to be post-paid.
In 1833 Richard Janion Nevill, Manager of Llanelli Copperworks, purchased Llangennech Park (described as 270 acres) and moved with his family from Field House. A Trade Directory of 1835 lists him under ‘Gentry’ as of Llangennech Park, where he lived with his family until he died in 1856. Following his death his younger son William Henry Nevill, Managing Director of the Old Lodge Works, continued to live at the Mansion with his family until 1870.
William Henry Nevill was also involved in ship building and launched the first iron ship from Carmarthenshire Dock in 1863, watched by 5,000 people. He was said to be a faithful member of the local Parish Church, and was responsible for promoting the Mechanics Institute and the Llanelli Savings Bank.
Mrs Nevill, wife of Richard Janion Nevill and mother of William Henry Nevill lived at Llangennech Park until she died in 1863. William Henry Nevill and his family continued to live at the Llangennech Park House Mansion until the end of December 1870, when the children who attended the National School presented him with a gift.
For a short period around 1870, Edward J Sartoris MP, who had married Miss Nellie Grant (one of USA President Grant’s daughters) lived at the Mansion.
From 1871 to 1887 he leased the property to Edmund Morewood and his nephew and partner, John Henry Rogers, who established the South Wales Tinplate Company in Llanelli. Morewood lived at Llangennech Park until he died on 25 August 1887 and was buried at Llangennech churchyard close to Richard Janion Nevill. John Henry Rogers, decided to live nearer their Tinplate Works and moved to Highfield in the Tyisha district of town. In 1877 John Henry Rogers married Rowland MacLaran’s daughter and the newly weds continued to live at Highfield for a few years. During the slump in the tinplate industry following the McKinley Tariff of 1891, John Henry Rogers travelled regularly to America where he established a successful Tinplate Works. In 1891 Rogers and his family were living at Glyncoed. Following the liquidation of the South Wales Tinplate Works in 1898 he retired and went to live in London and Glyncoed passed to the Nevill family.
In 1890 the Estate was purchased by David Evans JP, DL, Esq. (1836-1909), who moved with his family from Llanelli, and completely renovated the crumbling Mansion. Evans was mainly interested in trade and commerce, and when he died in February 1909, he was succeeded by his son, Henry Morton Glyn Evans, JP, OBE.
Henry Morton Glyn Evans died in 1928 and was succeeded by his son, Kenneth Morton Evans, who married in Paris, returning to Llangennech in 1939, with his new bride to reside at their beautiful new Mansion in Llangennech Park.
During the Second World War Llangennech Park was taken over by the Government.
The Cambrian, 10 February 1893
DEATH OF MR ALFRED SATORIS. – The death of Mr Alfred Sartoris, of Llangennech Park, and son of the late Admiral Sir Algernon Charles Frederick Sartoris, is announced as having taken place at Capri, near Naples. Deceased was 42 years of age, and was well known in certain circles in Swansea. He married Miss Nellie Grant, daughter of the late President Grant, of the United States. His father was returned as MP for Carmarthen in the Liberal interest in 1868. With all his faults, Alfred Sartoris was generally liked; but he was his own foolish enemy.
1841 Llangennech Park House
Richard Nevill Head 55 Copper Merchant
Anne Nevill Wife 59
Charles Nevill Son 25
Richard Nevill Son 20 Iron Founder
1851 Llangennech Park House
Richard Janion Nevill Head 65 County Magistrate
Anne Nevill Wife 69
Mary Nevill Daughter 36
James G Nevill Son 31 Clergyman
William H Nevill Son 28 Assistant to his father
1861 Llangennech Park House
Anne Nevill Head, Widow 79
Rachel Louise Nevill Daughter-in-Law 32
Ernest William Nevill Grandson 1
Margaret Elizabeth Grand daughter 5 months
Emily Nevill Daughter Unmarried 34
Anne Jeffreys Daughter Married 45
Agnes Martha Jeffreys Grand daughter Unmarried 19
1871 Llangennech Park House
Frederick C Abel Head 26 Manager of Tinplate Works
Charlotte Abel Wife 18
Elizabeth L N Daughter 4
Frederick Scott Nephew 5
Edward C Riskett Visitor 20 Clerk, Tinplate Works
Sarah A Pearson 25 General Servant
Elizabeth Foley 15 General Servant
Charlotte Johnson 22 Cook
1881 Llangennech Park House
Edmund Morewood 60 Steel Iron & Tinplate Man
Alfred Stevenson 45 Farming Manager
Eliza Stevenson 44 Housekeeper
Elizabeth Jane Floyd 18 Domestic Servant
Henry Stevenson 2 [Infant son of Servant]
A Hint of Splendours past, the ruins of Llangennech Park House
© W & B Rees & ARTdesigns 2004/2006
Page updated Saturday July 14, 2007