Gregynog Hall and the Davies Sisters
ARTICLES of GENERAL INTEREST
GREGYNOG HALL AND THE DAVIES SISTERS
In the heart of the Montgomeryshire countryside some 4 miles north of Newtown stands an impressive Hall set within its own 750-acre grounds. There has been a substantial mansion on the site since the 1400s, with the latest iteration being constructed as a brick building in 1840. The building that we see today may appear to be a Montgomeryshire vernacular half-timbered structure, but this belies the fact that in the late 1890s it was stuccoed with concrete and painted black and white to resemble such a style.
In 1920 Gregynog Hall was purchased by the fabulously wealthy and unmarried sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies. The sisters had come by their wealth via the “family business” of coal, railways and of course Barry Docks founded by their grandfather David Davies of Llandinam whose life and times has been covered in many previous issues of “What’s On”.
When they came of age, the sisters devoted their lives and wealth to charity, philanthropy and culture. Examples (by no means exhaustive) include health and welfare facilities in the coal mining valleys, contributions to the building of chapels and educational establishments, funding and hands on running of rest and recuperation facilities for soldiers (of all nationalities) in France during the First World War and perhaps what they are best remembered for: the purchase of many notable works of art – all of which were gifted to the people of Wales.
After it was purchased by the sisters, the Hall became the most visible symbol of the sisters’ cultural interests and the venue for Welsh cultural and academic life for many decades. They supported traditional skills, arts and craftsmanship to improve the house and grounds. The estate became associated with music, literature, gardening and intellectual life. The sisters encouraged artists, musicians and scholars and helped create an atmosphere in which Welsh culture could flourish.
Their support for music was particularly significant. They established the Gregynog Festival, which became an important event in the Welsh cultural calendar and over the years many of the important musicians of the day such as Elgar, Holst, Williams, Wood and Boult played. In addition, a choir of between 28 and 40 voices, many being the Hall’s staff, gave many a concert. Their interest in music reflected their broader understanding of culture: art was not simply something to be collected and displayed, but something to be experienced, shared and developed. Through Gregynog, the sisters helped create a lasting cultural legacy that continued after their deaths.
The sisters were deeply attached to Wales and to the Welsh landscape. Although their wealth was derived from industrial enterprise, they increasingly devoted themselves to preserving and enriching the cultural and natural environment of their home country
Gwendoline died in 1951 and Margaret in 1963. By the time of their deaths, they had donated or promised substantial parts of their art collection to public institutions and had supported numerous charitable and cultural causes. Their legacy remains particularly visible in the collections of the National Museum Cardiff and in the continuing cultural associations of Gregynog.
In 1922 the Gregynog Press was founded by the sisters helped by Dr Thomas Jones (“TJ”) at the Hall. It had a succession of resident printers and artists, and a bindery. The output was of limited edition superbly produced volumes devoted to the arts and poetry many of which may be inspected at the Cardiff University Special Collections library. Incidentally “TJ” was to become a most influential man in his own right, he was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet under four Prime Ministers.
Margaret Davies gifted Gregynog Hall to the University of Wales in 1960. Thereafter the Hall hosted conferences, seminars and summer schools from every academic discipline.
The story of the Davies sisters is therefore not simply one of extraordinary wealth. It is a story about how private fortune can be transformed into a public legacy. Through their philanthropy, art collecting and support for education, music and Welsh culture, Gwendoline and Margaret Davies helped shape the cultural landscape of twentieth-century Wales. Gregynog remains closely associated with their memory, while the artworks and institutions they supported continue to benefit generations of people. Their lives demonstrate the lasting influence that determined and generous patrons can have on the cultural identity of a nation.
In 2010, the University’s responsibility for Gregynog was passed to the Gregynog Charitable Trust and it continues to be a centre for learning and education, hosting conferences and events and celebrating nature and the arts. The extensive grounds make for a good day out for those seeking the calm and sanctuary of nature, and there’s a very classy café but surprisingly no gift shop through which to exit!
Tony Hodge