SAVE
Britain's Heritage
The burning of Hafodunos Hall is possibly the worst news we have heard in the last six months. The fire was started by a couple of young men with little better to do. Their crass ignorance and wanton act of vandalism has resulted in the near loss of a high Victorian work of art. Listed at Grade I, Hafodunos has been on our radar for many years, with a series of owners promising much and doing little other than letting it rot. The house and park were subject to a planning application for the construction of ninety holiday chalets in the grounds. Naturally the house was also uninsured and there was no adequate supply of water nearby for the fire brigade.
We reacted swiftly, dispatching
all-round conservation hero, engineer Brian Morton, to inspect the ruins.
An initial walk through and a more thorough inspection revealed the
gutted shell of the main house (the servants' quarters survived) to
be in fair condition but in need of propping up and roofing over with
a temporary scaffold. Cadw have offered grant aid toward his fees. The
local authority, Conwy County Borough Council, does not have an outstanding
record with major buildings at risk - Gwrych Castle is also on their
patch. Together with the Victorian Society we are pushing the local
authority to act to secure the building before it is too late. A visit
by the Welsh Culture Minister has helped keep up the pressure: the planning
application for the chalets has been withdrawn and the Council is apparently
working with the owner on a new scheme.
Courtesy of SAVE Britain's Heritage