Cochwillan Old Hall, Gwynedd
The medieval hall of Cochwillan near Tal y Bont, Bangor in Gwynedd is a place whose name may well reflect the history of the land on which it was built.
It sits in the foothills of the Canneddau Mountains overlooking Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island, Anglesey) in the distance across the Menai Straits. Positioned between the villages of Llanllechid, Bethesda, Tal y Bont and Llandegai and on the North side of the Ogwen river across from Tregarth and Mynedd Llandegai, and as the remaining trees of the area are still mainly oak, in ancient times Cochwillan Old Hall, or Llys Hynafol Cochwillan, would have been surrounded by an oak forest. The name Cochwillan, like many ancient names in Wales, has its roots in old Welsh language. Coch meaning ‘red’, gwyll meaning ‘dark’ or ‘gloomy’ and llan meaning a ‘sacred place’ or ‘clearing’. Thus we have Cochwillan -, sited on ‘rhiw goch’- red hill, Cochwillan was a red gloomy clearing or sacred place. And as, in ancient times the area was covered in oak forest, ‘coch gwyll llan’ would have described how it would have been then- a dense oak forest gloomy even on the brightest days, and when the leaves turned to red in the autumn, a carpet of red would have led to the magnificent building that would have been the hub of the Cochwillan estate.
Built around 1465 - it indicated the owner's wealth and status
The present house is of a size and sophistication that indicates the wealth and status of William ap Gruffudd, the person who is believed to have had the house built around 1465. The estate of Cochwillan was passed down to William by his grandfather, Robin of Cochwillan, who was a contemporary of Owain Glyndwr. Robin was the great grandson of Gruffudd ap Heilyn, who acquired the Cochwillan Estate on his marriage to Eva, daughter of Gruffudd ap Tewdwr, a descendant of Madog, Prince of Powys.
A court of significance, splendour and hospitality
Gruffudd ap Heilyn was the great grandson Tewdwr ap Ednyfed Fychan who was a involved in the peace agreement between Edward 1st of England and Llewelyn ap Gruffud, Prince of Wales. William ap Gruffudd married Angharad, daughter of the Constable of Harlech Castle during the Wars of the Roses. William supported Henry Tewdwr at the battle of Bosworth, probably because of family connections to the future King of England, and for his support he was made Sheriff of Caernarfon for life. The present building, built for William, replaced an older building that was mentioned in 13th century records. Cochwillan was known as a court of some significance and was noted for its splendour and hospitality.
Exceptional carvings, hammer beam roof, and oak beam screen
Today, Llys Hynafol Cochwillan is one of the finest hall houses, retaining many of its original features such as the hammer beam roof of three open bays, 30 ft. high and an almost entirely original west screen of oak beams still retaining the master carpenters’ numberings and the master builders’ daisy wheel markings. There is an exceptional carving of Marchudd ap Cynan’s heraldic device. The Williams and the Gruffudd families of the medieval period were both descendents of Marchudd ap Cynan, a powerful associate of Rhodric Mawr.
Restored in 1970 by Cadw and The Penrhyn Estate
The hall has a side mounted fireplace with its original huge oak lintel which was a modern innovation for the time. Most houses of that era had a central fire with a hole in the roof for smoke to exit. This feature, along with the extensive and intricate decoration on the wood, marks the house as being one that belonged to a family of considerable status. The restoration in 1969/1970 replaced the east screen it to its original position so that the magnificent window in the North wall once again lights an additional half bay with a raised dias by the east screen. In the past, in harder times, the house has been used as farm buildings and the hall itself was used as a store for hay. Cows were kept in the east and west wings during the winter months. It was in a sorry state when CADW and Penrhyn began the restoration. At the time of the restoration in 1970 the stone bearing the Penrhyn crest was installed above what is now known and used as the front door. Originally this would have been the back of the house. The front of the house would have been south facing towards the Ogwen valley and Cochwillan woods.
Family links that joined Cochwillan with the Penrhyn Estate
In 1620 Henry Williams (grandson of William) sold the Cochwillan estate to the 3rd Earl of Pembroke. However the Archbishop of York, John Williams, great great grandson of the builder bought it back into the family. John Williams’ nephew inherited the Cochwillan Estate along with the Penrhyn Estate, (where the magnificent Penrhyn Castle is situated - currently a National Trust attaction) thus uniting the two estates and they remain linked to this day.
References & further reading
Edited from a text by the current curator of Cochwillan who used the following books and journals: Caernarfonshire & Anglesey Families, J Griffiths 1912, Hynafiathau Llandegai A Llanllechid Hugh Derfel Hughes, 1866 National Monuments record of Wales, Aberystwyth. John York's Houses, Cymdeithas Archaeoleg Llandegai a Llanllechid. The Welsh Families of Penrhyn, E.H. Douglas Pennant
Find out more about the history of Cochwillan by visiting these websites www.visitsnowdonia.info, www.aboutbritain.com, www.s4c.co.uk/tycymreig/e_halls_hynafol. www.welshwalks.info (lower Ogwen valley walk)
