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4 months ago
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A Tudor mansion situated in the Welsh valleys and apparently haunted by a ghost who only reveals herself to unmarried men has hit the market for £1.6million.
The Grade-II listed Derwydd Mansion offers fourteen bedrooms, four bathrooms, a separate self-contained cottage for guests and 12,758 square feet of space.
But any prospective buyer will have to get over the legend of the White Lady who apparently haunts the estate and traditionally appears to unmarried men.
The tale of Gwen Vaughan, as she is formally known, has been passed down from generation to generation.
It is said that before the death of the head of the family, the ghost of the White Lady appears by the window in the room of Sir Rhys ap Thomas — the home's former owner.
The lady is said to stand in the window with one arm on the sill and the other pointing in a different direction.
First appearing in the history books of 1485, Derwydd Mansion has the lineage of a distinguished country home.
It was once owned by Tudor knight Sir Rhys ap Thomas who was said to have sheltered Henry Tudor on the way to Bosworth.
An external shot of Derwydd Mansion (pictured) which is Grade II listed and and dates back to the 15th century
One of the reception rooms in the mansion featuring a wooden staircase with chairs and a stained glass window
A gallery room in the property with a circular table and laced white cloth
One of the bedrooms in the property which boasts large windows, a sofa and two armchairs
Who is the White Lady?
The tale of the White Lady, or Gwen Vaughan as she is formally known, has been passed down from generation to generation.
It is said that before the death of the head of the family, the ghost of the White Lady appears by the window in the room of Sir Rhys ap Thomas — the home's former owner.
The lady is said to stand in the window with one arm on the sill and the other pointing in a different direction.
Legend has it she only appears to unmarried men.
It is said that when Henry Tudor landed at Milford Haven to claim the crown from Richard III and end the War of the Roses, he was entertained at Derwydd before his victory at the Battle of Bosworth.
The connection is commemorated in a sculpture of a shield in the King's Room.
It is believed the house was once in the possession of Sir Henry Vaughan of nearby Golden Grove by marriage to Sage, granddaughter of Rhydderch in 1603.
Vaughan was High Sheriff in 1620 and was knighted in 1632. But Vaughan was captured at the Battle of Naseby during the English Civil War when he was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The house passed, again by marriage, to Sir Thomas Stepney of Llanelli in the early 18th Century, and then in the mid 18th Century to Joseph Gulston and eventually to Stepney Gulston.
Adjacent to the stone cottage is a listed greenhouse that has a peach tree and vines that is said to be the one of the largest Messenger greenhouses in Wales. The cottage appears on the Tithe map of 1876.
Following Sotheby's on-site sale of the historic contents of Derwydd Mansion in 1998, the estate was sold to a local businessman in 1999 because Joy Stepney-Gulston — the widowed owner — had no heir to the estate.
The existing house, however, is essentially a later Tudor mansion, and at one time possessed two wings to the west side.
In 1670 it was described as a house of 18 hearths, making it one of the largest in the Carmarthenshire.
Highlights of the home include the library known as 'the King's Room', seven reception rooms, a sundial and a 'secret' wood.
A grand sitting area in the property with two sofas and a fireplace, as well as stone carvings
A bedroom with three windows and a double bed in the centre of the room
A grand hallway in the property which has a grand staircase and red leather sofa
An external shot of the property showcasing the grounds
The property has a separate cottage (pictured) which can be rented out as a holiday let or used for guests
The kitchen in the property which has all amenities including an oven, a sink and storage space
A sitting room in the property which includes a red wall fireplace and lots of natural light
The cellar bar in the property with a selection of wines and spirits on show
The Tudor history of Derwydd Mansion
Derwydd Mansion was once owned by Tudor knight Sir Rhys ap Thomas who was said to have sheltered Henry Tudor on the way to Bosworth.
It is said that when Henry Tudor landed at Milford Haven to claim the crown from Richard III and end the War of the Roses, he was entertained at Derwydd before his victory at the Battle of Bosworth.
The connection is commemorated in a sculpture of a shield in the King's Room.
The original Tudor mansion was in 1670 described as a house of 18 hearths, making it one of the largest in the county at the time.
The house passed, again by marriage, to Sir Thomas Stepney of Llanelli in the early 18th Century, and then in the mid 18th Century to Joseph Gulston and eventually to Stepney Gulston.
The listing by Sotheby's reads: 'Derwydd Mansion is set in a rural location only about a mile west of the hamlet of Derwydd in the historic county of Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales, famous for its castles and Towy River.
'Although enjoying a rural aspect it is convenient to local towns including the popular market town of Llandeilo (about four miles to the north) with shops and nearby national railway services at Ffairfach station (only about three miles away from Derwydd Mansion).
'The town of Ammanford with primary and secondary schools is also only about four miles to the south-east while the A48 M4 link road is about six miles to the south-west providing quick access to south Wales (Swansea about 22 miles and Cardiff about 65 miles) the Severn Bridge and into England.
'For those that enjoy the outdoors the surrounding countryside offers a wealth of areas to explore including Dinefwr Park National Nature reserve owned by the National Trust, numerous castles including Dinefwr and Carreg Cennen, the former Brecon Beacons National Park (now called Bannau Brycheiniog National Park) and the National Botanic Garden of Wales.'
Since February 2022 the gardens are now a Registered Historic Park and Garden Grade II.
The property's links to the supernatural have been discussed on the social media site Reddit.
One commenter said 'Oh I just know that whole place is full of mysterious cold spots'.
Another replied with 'EPC rating of G, for ghost'.
'I enjoy how she only haunts unmarried men,' said another.
Another responded with 'Gwen sounds lovely, sure she'd be nice if you give her the odd unmarried man to haunt. 10/10 would buy if I had £1.6m'.
A third commented 'I think this place is amazing, and I would be in if it was for £1.6m and them pesky kids chasing the Lady in White!'
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