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Allt-y-Bela - "Keeping up with the Edwards'" |
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Decline and Fall
© Courtesy of Monmouthshire County Council
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Allt-y-Bela was passed down to various descendants, and was sold to a local farmer in the 20th Century. By the 1980's, the building had been totally abandoned, the tower being held up by make-shift scaffolding and the staircase.
Derelict for over 30 years, and having been used as a grain store and farm, the tower was in serious need of repair. Allt-y-Bela's condition came to the attention of the Monmouthshire County Council, who attempted to remedy the situation by serving repairs notices and following the legal procedures as required by the building's listed status. However, these were unsuccessful, and in 2001, the Council served a compulsory purchase order on the building, and handed it over to the Spitalfields Trust for restoration.
Path to Progress
© Courtesy of Monmouthshire County Council
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The Spitalfields Trust is a charity that renovates architecturally and historically significant buildings. Tim Whittaker, the Trust's Administrator, explains how the Trust works:
"We have expertise and can apply for grants, but we do not have the funds to purchase buildings - which is one reason why we take buildings at the end of their lives. We specialise in buildings that no one else would restore".
Where possible, the Trust aims to repair - not replace - elements of the building, using traditional materials such as limestone, instead of cement. The Trust will spend the next 2 to 3 years repairing and restoring the roof, walls and floors using original techniques and materials.
This is the first project for the Spitalfields Trust outside of London. "As a charity we usually get buildings in East London donated to us, but currently we have no projects in London. Allt-y-Bela is important both historically and architecturally to Wales" said Mr Whittiker
Although far-thinking at the time, Roger Edwards could have not been aware of the significance of his house to us today. Features first seen in Allt-y-Bela can be seen in later buildings across Monmouthshire and South East Wales.
With the help of Monmouthshire County Council and the Sptitalfields Trust, it is hoped to return the building to a home. Fiona Cairns of Monmouthshire Council said: "An historic building's original use is its best use", and she hopes that, "the building will eventually become a home again."
Click here to have a look at Allt-y-Bela over the last 50 years, in its various states of repair, in our picture gallery.
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