The Mansion

History

The earliest records to be found, relate to a Reverend Isaac Hughes, Vicar of Blaenporth, selling the property to a Sussex based family, named The Brenchleys in the 1800’s. At this point the house undertook major alterations with the addition of a Georgian façade and, also, the addition of the East wing. Mr T. H. Brenchley was a magistrate and Master of Foxhounds, with the Tivyside hounds once based at Glaneirw. In the Census of 1851, The Brenchleys lived at Glaneirw with their three children and a governess, nurse, cook, kitchen maid, house maid, coachman, footman, gardener and a labourer. The bell that was rung to call staff in for meal times is still in position in the Coach House bell tower and in working order. During recent renovations it was clearly apparent that the Georgian changes had been wrapped around a far older property, at present we are unable to formally date the original buildings but there is evidence that they date as far back as the 1330 / 1400’s. In the latter part of the 20th century, the house had a turbulent history being converted to a Hotel and then being sold to a developer, who apparently stripped the house of many of its original internal features. In the seventies the house was sold at auction to a group of professionals who wished to opt out and persue the “Good Life.” Unfortunately the original “Tom and Barbara’s” fell out and the property was sold to the Glaneirw Housing Co-operative and hence that the beginnings of a hippy commune commenced. The stunning but dilapidated property was purchased by the current owners from the last remaining members of the Housing Co-op in 2013 and ever since has been subject to some major restoration projects.