The new owners of a country estate in Ruthin are inviting the public to send in their memories of the property.
Andrew and Louisa Godfrey of the Godfrey Group bought Pool Park Estate last year and are painstakingly restoring the historic site for leisure and hospitality purposes.
The Estate, which is set in 26-acre grounds and has a history dating back centuries, was originally built for the Bagot family.
Andrew Godfrey, Managing Director of the Godfrey Group, said: “We’ve had a number of people getting in touch already to tell us interesting stories about the history of this amazing building.
“As we restore the Estate to its prime, we’re keen to know more about its role in the local community over the years.
“We’re finding lots of interesting things including an 11thcentury Celtic throne, beautiful carpentry in the old stables, an old tennis court, and even a 17th century sundial. We’d also like to know what was grown in the curved walled garden.”
Rhian Davies, who lives locally, contacted Andrew after her mum, Heulwen Williams, discovered an old sales document relating to the Estate.
Rhian, who fell in love with Pool Park as a young child, said: “My grandparents lived in Ruthin, and I remember glimpsing Pool Park through the trees when I was eight or nine and on my way to visit them.
“I thought at the time that it looked like a fairy tale house, a magical place in the woods. It was so beautiful and in a peaceful setting surrounded by trees where you could hear the birds singing.
“My mum has been having a bit of a clear out recently and she found a sales booklet for the Estate dating back to the 1920s. It lists all the properties that were part of the Estate and there are some very interesting pictures.
“We think my grandfather saved it originally as he used to love going round the local auctions.
“We heard that Andrew was looking for memories connected with the history of Pool Park so we got in touch to see if he would like it. My mum was thrilled that he did.
“We think it’s great that the Estate is being restored and that it is being done by someone who cares about its past and its future. I love buildings and architecture so I’m looking forward to seeing it come back to life.”
Louisa Godfrey of the Godfrey Group said: “We were delighted to hear from Rhian and her mum Heulwen and it was very kind of them to donate the sales booklet to us.”
If you’ve got a memory or photographs that you would like to share please email [email protected]
Louisa Godfrey will be giving a presentation about Pool Park Estate on Sunday June 30th in The Old Court House in Ruthin as part of the Ruthin Festival.
