Nannau, Wales

Nannau
"The highest situation of any gentleman’s house in Great Britain."[1]
TypeHouse
LocationLlanfachreth, Wales, UK
Coordinates52°46′13″N 3°51′52″W / 52.7703°N 3.8645°W / 52.7703; -3.8645
AreaNorth Wales
Built1795-1805 & 1808
ArchitectSir Robert Vaughan, 2nd Baronet & Joseph Bromfield[2]
Architectural style(s)Neoclassical
WebsiteNannau.Wales
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameNannau
Designated14 June 1952
Reference no.4710
Nannau, Wales is located in Gwynedd
Nannau, Wales
Location of Nannau in Gwynedd

Nannau (Welsh for 'the place of many streams'') is a Georgian mansion and estate near the village of Llanfachreth, Gwynedd, North Wales, UK.[3][4] The mansion was initially inhabited by the Welsh Nanney (Nannau) family, who were direct descendants of the Kings of Powys.[5] For over 900 years, the Nannau estate was in possession of the same family.

The dynasty was founded by Madog ap Cadwgan, 1st Lord of Nannau as a cadet branch of the House of Mathrafal. The founder was a son of Prince Cadwgan ap Bleddyn (1051–1111) from the Kingdom of Powys, within what is now the Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park in North West Wales.[5] The Lord of Nannau title continued for four centuries, until the division of the cadet branches. The estate was then passed on to a heiress, Janet, who married into the Vaughan family of Hengwrt in 1719. In 1795 their descendants, the Vaughan baronets, replaced the then 17th-century mansion with a new house co-designed by Joseph Bromfield, which still stands today.[2]

The head of the family represented the local county as Sheriff of Merionethshire and held the position 9 times in 400 years between the 16th and 20th centuries.[6] In 1911 as recorded by Encyclopædia Britannica, the families of county rank in the neighbourhood of Dolgellau included those of Nannau, Hengwrt (the famous Hengwrt Welsh MSS), Caerynwch, Fronwnion, Bron-y-gadair, Brynygwin, Brynadda, Abergwynnant, Garthangharad.[7]

By the mid-20th century the estate was "wrecked", and a succession of short-term owners saw much of the land sold off, the demolition of some of the 18th-century mansion, and failed attempts to establish a hotel at the hall. By 2020 the lead from the roof had been stolen and the house was "deteriorating rapidly". Nannau is a Grade II* listed building[8] and its parkland is listed, also at Grade II*, on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[9][10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference heneb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Brom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cadw. "Nannau (Grade II*) (4710)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Robert was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Powys was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales at Google Books
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dolg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Nannau Hall: Grade II* listed mansion 'at risk' after lead theft". BBC News. 1 September 2021.
  9. ^ Cadw. "Nannau (PGW(Gd)34(GWY))". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Nannau, Brithdir and Llanfachreth". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2021.