| Plas Nannau Hall | |
|---|---|
 "The highest situation of any gentleman’s house in Great Britain."[1] | |
| Type | House |
| Location | Llanfachreth, Wales, UK |
| Coordinates | 52°46′13″N 3°51′52″W / 52.7703°N 3.8645°W |
| Area | North Wales |
| Built | 1795–1805 & 1808 |
| Architect | Sir Robert Vaughan, 2nd Baronet & Joseph Bromfield[2] |
| Architectural style(s) | Neoclassical |
| Website | Nannau.Wales |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Nannau |
| Designated | 14 June 1952 |
| Reference no. | 4710 |
  Location of Plas Nannau Hall in Gwynedd | |
Nannau (Welsh for 'the place of many streams'') is a Georgian mansion and estate near the village of Llanfachreth, Gwynedd, North Wales, UK.[3][4] The mansion was initially inhabited by the Welsh Nanney (Nannau) family, who were direct descendants of the Kings of Powys.[5] For over 900 years, the Nannau estate was in possession of the same family.
The dynasty was founded by Madog ap Cadwgan, 1st Lord of Nannau as a cadet branch of the House of Mathrafal. The founder was a son of Prince Cadwgan ap Bleddyn (1051–1111) from the Kingdom of Powys, within what is now the Snowdonia (Eryri) national park in North West Wales.[5] The Lord of Nannau title continued for four centuries, until the division of the cadet branches. The estate was then passed on to an heiress, Janet, who married into the Vaughan family of Hengwrt in 1719. In 1795 their descendants, the Vaughan baronets, replaced the then 17th-century mansion with a new house co-designed by Joseph Bromfield, which still stands today.[2]
The head of the family represented the local county as Sheriff of Merionethshire and held the position 9 times in 400 years between the 16th and 20th centuries.[6] In 1911 as recorded by Encyclopædia Britannica, the families of county rank in the neighbourhood of Dolgellau included those of Nannau, Hengwrt (the famous Hengwrt Welsh MSS), Caerynwch, Fronwnion, Bron-y-gadair, Brynygwin, Brynadda, Abergwynnant, Garthangharad.[7]
By the mid-20th century the estate was "wrecked", and a succession of short-term owners saw much of the land sold off, the demolition of some of the 18th-century mansion, and failed attempts to establish a hotel at the hall. By 2020 the lead from the roof had been stolen and the house was "deteriorating rapidly". Nannau is a Grade II* listed building[8] and its parkland is listed, also at Grade II*, on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[9][10]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
henebwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Bromwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cadw. "Nannau (Grade II*) (4710)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Robertwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Powyswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Annals and Antiquities of the Counties and County Families of Wales at Google Books
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Dolgwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Nannau Hall: Grade II* listed mansion 'at risk' after lead theft". BBC News. 1 September 2021.
- ^ Cadw. "Nannau (PGW(Gd)34(GWY))". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ^ "Nannau, Brithdir and Llanfachreth". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2021.