Swansea CAM - 200101

EARLIER PHOTOGRAPHS.
Saturday 20th January 2001. pm.
Swansea .......Penllergare Estate.

Weather: Sunny. Temp: 4C

Penllergare House now demolished after years of decay was the home of John Dillwyn Llewelyn who was born in 1810 and died in 1882. He was an keen amateur photographer and in the very early days of photography carried out many experiments which led to its advancement. The extensive grounds are now overgrown and the site of the house is occupied by Council Offices. His wife, Emma, was the cousin of Henry Fox Talbot of Lacock Abbey the inventor of the negative/positive method of photography.

We start off down the track into the woodland to explore the grounds.

It soon became clear that nature had reclaimed its own. A lot different now than when John Dillwyn Llewelyn spent very many hours in these grounds setting up his camera and equipment to photograph the views around what was then a well kept estate. A collection of his prints are in Swansea Museum.

Through the arch from the opposite direction we see a disused quarry where where trees and bushes have taken root. Some trees are actually growing out of the quarry face.

This tree on the top edge of the quarry has a very unusual root structure.

A good place to get a look at the river.

In the days when the house was occupied this waterfall must have been a favourite spot..

Silver birch trees point their bare branches to the sky as they catch the afternoon sunshine.

This old building at the Cadle end of the grounds was possibly connected with the Estate.

I went back later to take this photo of John Dillwyn Llewelyn's Observatory.

Close up of the plaque in front of the Observatory.