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ABBEY CWM HIR HALL
The Hall at Abbey-Cwm-Hir is Grade 11* listed as one of Wales' finest example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture.
The Hall is on the site of a house built c.1656 for the Fowler family, which was later owned by the Hastings family, Earls of Huntingdon.
Thomas Wilson, a London businessman, purchased the Abbey Cwm Hir Estate in 1824.
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ABBEY CWM HIR 1833 |
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The Hall was built in 1834 by Thomas Wilson the great Victorian improver, the house was doubled in size by the Philips family in 1869, who then added the snooker room in 1894. The architects were Poundley and Walker of Shrewsbury.
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CENSUS NOTES.
I have featured below, censuses from 1841 to 1901 inclusive.
The handwritten entries are not always clear - so there may be errors - spelling is as it appears on each census.
Entries record people living at the Hall on the day/night of each census day.
Other people will have have worked at the Hall - those living in the village. They are sadly not recorded.
Others will have worked in between the census years. Again, these are sadly not recorded here.
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1841 CENSUS.
The owner, Thomas Phillips was not in residence at the Hall during the census day 1841.
It was occupied by Thomas' gardener, James Robinson recorded as 40 years old, and his wife Alice. |
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The estate was owned by Mr Francis Philips by 1847
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1851 CENSUS.
P. A. Phillips 57, a land proprietor was head of household. He was born in Manchester and noted as married, although his wife was not at the Hall on census day.
James Robinson 52, born Inap, Yorkshire was still gardener there and his wife Alice, 42 of Leyburn, Yorkshire, was employed as a housekeeper.
Martha Davies, 23 was the housemaid. She was born in Mochdre, Montgomeryshire.
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1861 CENSUS.
George Henry Phillips 28 and unmarried had become head of household at the Hall by 1861. He was born at Longsight, Lancashire and was a Landed Proprietor.
James Ward, 52 from Barnsham, Cheshire had become gardener, and his wife Alice Ward 51, of Wigan, Lancashire, was housekeeper.
Catherine Maguire 34 of Liverpool and Martha Jones 18 of Wrexham, were house servants.
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During the years 1865/66, Miss Mary Beatrice Philips, a sister to the Squire, Mr George Henry Philips built a new church in Abbey Cwm Hir, entirely at her own expense.
Wilson's house was extended and altered as a Victorian mansion of ashlar, decorated with polychromatic bands and elaborate bargeboards, by Poundley & Walker of Liverpool in 1867-69 for Thomas Philips, a Manchester cotton manufacturer. The Hall had doubled in size by 1869.
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1871 CENSUS.
George H. Phillips 39, and was married to Anna, was still head was now a Magistrate and landowner. Neither Anna nor their daughter Mabel 2 was resident at the Hall.
James I. Evans 52, Vicar of Abbey Cwm Hir was visiting the Hall, and staying overnight on census day.
James Ward 60, widower, a butler born in Sandbach, Cheshire. It is possible that this is the James Ward who was the gardener. Although place of birth is recorded differently, this is not unusual on census returns.
Walter Lawrence 14 of Littlebourne Kent was the domestic page.
Catherine Maguire, now 44 has been promoted to cook.
Annie Blewer 29 of Alberby, Shropshire was a housemaid.
Sarah Bignew (?) 24 a laundress from Chepstow, Monmouth.
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1881 CENSUS.
George H. Phillips J.P., M.A. Oxon aged 49 and married, continues to be head of household. He is married to Anna, T. Phillips 44 of Stockport, Cheshire.
Their family consisted of Mabel 12, born in London, Anna C. 10, Doris E. 8, Francis G. P. 7, Charles H. 5 and John L. 2, all born in Abbeycwmhir.
George Mattingly 54, of Hurst, Berfkshire held the position of Butler.
George Leighton 35 of Huddersfield, Worcestershire worked as a groom.
Walter Perkins 15 of Watford, Herefordshire was footman.
Caroline Mattingly 58, wife of George from Essex was a nurse.
Ann Evans 34 was now cook, from Meifod, Montgomeryshire.
Amy Thomas 28 of Llandegley, Radnorshire was housemaid.
Mary Mason 18 of Llangurig, Montgomeryshire, was also a housemaid.
Jane T. Watkins 20 of Herefordshire was a kitchenmaid.
Dinah Edwards 16 of Presteigne, Radnorshire, was a nurse.
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1891 CENSUS
George Phillips had died by the time the 1891 census was enumerated.
His widow Ann T. Phillips 54 was now head of the household.
Her family living at the Hall, consisted of Mabel 22, Chrystine 20, Doris 18 All were recorded as landed gentry, in addition to their mother. Francis 17, Charles K. 15, John L. 12 were all scholars.
Elizabeth Cantwell 49, born Barrow St George in the East, was cook.
Hetty J. Hulme 27, born Mancap, Cheshire, was parlourmaid.
Helen Bain 25, born Caithness, Wick, was head housemaid.
Jane Hill 17 born Herefordshire, was under housemaid.
Emily A. Davies 20, born Abbeycwmhir, was kitchenmaid.
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The Philips family added a snooker room in 1894
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1901 CENSUS
George and Ann's daughter Chrystine A. Phillips 30 and single, living on her own means had become head of the Hall's household by 1901.
Her family consisted of niece Vera Mabel Phillips 6, born Ahmednuggur, India, nephew Guy Vivian A. Phillips 5, born Kharwar, India, and neice Joan U. Phillips 4, also born Kharwar, India.
Alice A. Birch 31 of Lyonshall, Herefordshire was cook.
Helen Bain 33, was still housemaid.
Clara A. Evans 26, of Crickhowell, Brecon, was parlourmaid.
Annie Lewis 19, born Nantmel, Radnor, was housemaid.
Ellen I. Ingham 33, of Dorset, was nurse.
Annie Price 16, of Old Radnor, was also a nurse.
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ABBEY CWM HIR 1903
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Paul and Victoria Humpherston bought the Hall in late 1997 and have spent the subsequent years restoring it. Their results have been featured on BBC "Discovering Welsh Houses" and "Wales Today", on ITV "Wales Tonight" and on S4C.
Please click here to visit Abbey Cwm Hir Hall's website
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