Saturday
27
April
Hall to become charitable trust
11/12/2012 @ 12:23
An exciting new chapter in the story of one of the most famous country estates in Mid Wales is dawning following an announcement by the University of Wales Council.
Gregynog Hall, its 750-acre estate at Tregynon, near Newtown and The Gregynog Press, which are all currently run by the university, are to become an independent charitable trust as from August 1, 2013. The historic hall is a conference and event venue nestling in glorious parkland.The University of Wales Council says the Gregynog Trust will safeguard Gregynog Hall for the nation.
The Gregynog Press, which began the tradition of fine printing in 1922, will also be safeguarded under the new charity body. The university will use some of its historic unrestricted endowments to establish an initial fund to support the work of the trust.
“The decision to create the Gregynog Trust as a registered charity will open up exciting new opportunities for the hall and the estate,” said Karen Armstrong, Gregynog Hall director. “For the first time, Gregynog will have access to potential funding from sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will extend our cultural and environmental remit.
“Profits made by our weddings business, commercial conferences and the shop will be gifted to the charity for the development of the hall, refurbishment of the building, protection of the heritage of the estate, development of our Grade I listed garden and management of our woodland.”
Under the changes, Gregynog Hall and its estate will be run by a board of directors appointed by the University of Wales. Gregynog currently employs 25 staff.
The hall and estate were bequeathed to the university in May 1960 by the late Margaret Davies.
Margaret and her sister Gwendoline were granddaughters of Victorian tycoon David Davies of Llandinam, who made his fortune from contracting, coal-owning, railways and the docks at Barry. In his legacy, Davies left Gwendoline and Margaret £500,000 each, which enabled them to become passionate collectors of art from around 1908 onwards.
By 1924, they had amassed the largest collection of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works in Britain. Between 1951 and 1963, the sisters bequeathed 260 works to the National Museums and Galleries of Wales, completely transforming its art collection with works such as famous Renoir's famous Blue Lady, Monet's Rouen Cathedral and Rodin's The Kiss.
At Gregynog Hall they created a centre for the arts in Wales and founded the prestigious Gregynog Music Festival, attracting the likes of Vaughan Williams, Elgar and Holst. They also established The Gregynog Press (Gwasg Gregynog), producing limited edition books of rare beauty with fine hand-coloured illustrations, superb typography and engraving all beautifully bound by hand. The press continues to produce high quality work.
Over the past 52 years, Gregynog has become something of a national institution, hosting academic courses at every level, national and international conferences with many distinguished visitors and meetings of economic, cultural, medical and political groups.
Apart from its spectacular Grade I listed garden, the Gregynog estate also has the Great Wood, which has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest with international important lichens and oak trees that are more than 300 years old.
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