Historical Importance

Llysdinam Hall was bought by Richard Venables in 1829 as a fishing lodge but was developed by subsequent members of the family to its largest extent in the late 1800’s.

At this point the hall resembled a Scottish castle in grey granite with towers and crenellations. However by the 1950’s it had been reduced in size and was re­modelled in a 1930’s style, which is how it appears today.

The Llewelyn family (who married into the Venables family in 1893) were interested in astronomy, botany and photography with connections to an Astronomer Royal and Fox Talbot (one of the early pioneers in photography).

The family seat at Penllergaer in Swansea had not only its own Observatory but Orchid houses and subterranean fernery.

So with such an interest in science and horticulture it is not surprising that family members bred their own varieties of Narcissus and Rhododendron, (such as “Pengaer Red”) which are present in the garden today.

There are also a number of mentions of the family in the Kilvert diaries written in the 1800’s by Francis Kilvert, a curate at Clyro where Richard Lister Venables was vicar.