Sir Robert Vaughan, 2nd Baronet
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Sir Robert Williames Vaughan, 2nd Baronet (29 March 1768 – 22 April 1843), was a Welsh landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons for 40 years from 1792 to 1836.[1][2]
Estate
In 1800, Vaughan embarked on a life long journey to redesign his home and neighbouring areas. He lavishly rebuilt the Georgian home of Nannau, and designed the surrounding estate; he completed the job with the help from Joseph Bromfield, who created a pavilion wing and some internal features after a fire in 1808. He took inspiration from an architectural book written by Peter Frederick Robinson, but added subtle alterations to the designs inspired by Tudor architecture.[2][4]
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All around the 10,164 acre estate and Llanfachreth village, 55 miles of walling was built, for such a task, he kept 18 horses and mules, with 9 men operating carts (carters). Two farms and ten cottages were built on the estate. Then five arches and one lodge were constructed between 1820–30, and another lodge named after his ancestor Hywel Sele, and a deer park, miles more of carriage driveways and a fishing pond too. He also turned his attention to Dolgellau by rebuilding the town centre.[4]
On the estate of Nannau were several famous things including one placed there by Sir Robert Vaughan, the 'Nannau bucket' a late Bronze Age urn discovered in nearby Arthog.[6] Vaughan had an interest in antiquarianism and collected such items. Also on the estate was the Nannau Oak which was felled in a summer lightning storm in 1813, the tree famous for being the deathbed of his ancestor Hywel Sele, named 'Derwen Ceubren yr Ellyll' (English: 'the hollow oak of the demon').[7] The oak was subsequently used for various things such as a stirrup cup during his only son's 21st birthday, which is still considered one of Wales' grandest birthdays.[8] In 1824, the famous white Nannau Ox, the last of its herd, was slaughtered for the coming-of-age celebrations at Nannau.[4][9]