Nantclwyd y Dre

Nantclwyd y Dre is a Grade I listed historic house and gardens which dates back to 1435, making it one of the oldest timber-framed houses in Wales. Originally built as a Weaver’s Hall, the size of Nantclwyd y Dre and its location 100 metres North of Ruthin Castle’s entrance suggests the owner was both wealthy and important. The property was enlarged during the Jacobean era and Stuart additions were made including the distinctive pillared porch. The name Nantclwyd y Dre (Nantclwyd in the town) is widely believed to have been bestowed on the property in the 1720s to distinguish between Nantclwyd y Dre and nearby Nantclwyd Hall. Both properties were owned by Eubule Thelwall – a landowner and solicitor in the 17th century. However, the main family line of the Thelwalls ended in 1713 and Nantclwyd y Dre has seen a number of different owners since, including the local Wynne family during the Georgian period. From the Victorian era, it became a girls school. Later, in 1834, it became the local lodge for visiting judges. The property was purchased again in 1925 by retired civil engineer Clinton Holme who exposed the iconic timber frames in 1928 before selling to Samuel Dyer Gough – the penultimate sale in the property’s long history. Dyer Gough continued the restoration, even adding a swimming pool in the garden which were a feature of parties. He also turned the property into a local hub for the Arts and Crafts movement, realigning the site with its creative beginnings as a Weaver’s Hall. The Dyer Gough family sold the property to the local authority in 1984. Denbighshire County Council started preservation work in the mid 2000s and subsequently opened it to visitors.

The gardens of Nantclwyd y Dre have a history of their own. Parts of the gardens pre-date the house itself, with the outer Lord’s Garden dating back to the 13th century having previously been part of neighbouring Ruthin Castle’s gardens. Eubule Thelwall bought this part of the current garden for £7 in 1691. The gardens overlook the significant castle walls in one direction and look out to historic Ruthin Gaol in the other. Today, the garden features elements from three distinct periods; Medieval aspects including an enamelled mead with wildflowers; hedges, a nuttery, and vegetable beds representative of the 17th century; and 19th-century additions such as beech trees, a glasshouse, and herbaceous borders.

Despite the local authority owning and running it as a visitor attraction, there are still residents at Nantclwyd y Dre – a maternity roost of protected Lesser Horseshoe Bats. These are monitored as part of a study undertaken by academics at the University of Chester and a live ‘batcam’ is available at Nantclwyd y Dre