ORCHARD HOUSE

Orchard House is a handsome country house thought to date c1800s built in the format of a London town house on three floors, approached by a sweeping tarmacadam driveway leading to parking for numerous vehicles. It has an electronic gated entrance with grand pillars and lanterns. The house is built of local stone with a mellow brick façade with bath stone quoins under a slate roof.

The property has a rich and interesting history. A Henry Parnell built Orchard House in the grounds of the Darkway Estate, that he bought in c.1860. Henry and his brother Robert had their own successful drapery business in Bishopsgate Street, London and also gave strong monetary support to the maintenance and running of Llansteffan Church. Henry Parnell only enjoyed eight years living at the house before he passed away. Orchard House was put up for sale as part of the Cottage Estate and in its write up for the auction in Carmarthen on Saturday 3rd of August 1901 it was described as:

“The very desirable and substantially erected Freehold Residence called Orchard House.

Comprising spacious Reception rooms, and Bedrooms with Conservatory, good Coach-house and Stabling, and usual out offices, well stocked Gardens, Orchard, and Lawn in front, and highly productive Meadow and Pasture Land, the whole containing an area of 7a or thereabouts, situate about quarter of a mile from Llanstephan, about 1½ miles (by ferry) from Ferryside Station on the Great Western Railway, and about eight miles from Carmarthen, in the occupation of G.L. de Ferry, at the annual rent of £52 10s.”

The house was also home to a young poet called Edmund Coedfryn Davies whose work includes Woodland Breezes and Passion Flowers. He sadly died very young at the age of 22 in 1927.

The talented husband and wife Stanley Lewis MBE and Min Lewis also lived here. Min Lewis was an author while Stanley was an artist. One of his oil paintings of the kitchen at Orchard house was exhibited in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. They were friends with the famous poet Dylan Thomas and Min Lewis also wrote a book about him and Laugharne titled ‘Laugharne & Dylan Thomas’ (published 1967) with Stanley producing the illustrations. The animals that they kept at Orchard House (including milking cows), inspired the children’s stories that Min wrote in the Evening Post with Stanley supplying the sketches and illustrations.

Over the years the property has been sympathetically refurbished and upgraded but still retaining and preserving a fine period property in a Georgian style. Internally the majority of the original features have been retained. The property enjoys character features throughout e.g., tall ceilings, original sash windows (part secondary glazed), marble fireplaces to the principal reception rooms, panelled doors with panelled reveals, high skirting boards, restored working servants bells, locally handmade bespoke radiator covers, shower room cabinetry, wall panelling, polished wood floorboards, fireplaces and decorative plasterwork, together with some modern touches (e.g. part hard wired music system to house and terrace), to provide a homely ambience.

The house sits in manicured landscaped grounds and gardens with excellent traditional stone and modern outbuildings providing ample space to enjoy. In all, the property is set in about seven acres (stms – subject to measured survey) with two useful pasture fields.

Accommodation Ground Floor
Fine stone steps lead up to the welcoming front entrance. Two large lanterns flank the outside doors with original servants’ bell pull. Front entrance double half glazed door opens into the panelled porch. This then leads to the original large oak front door with fan light above that opens into a light reception hall with the elegant, panelled staircase and doors that open into the principal reception rooms.

On the left is the morning room enjoying views across the front gardens, a stunning bespoke bookcase with exterior lighting, bespoke radiator cabinetry, restored servants’ bell pull, brass electric floor sockets, original Carrera marble chimney piece, cast iron fireplace and slate hearth, original cornicing and wall light points. On the right is the drawing room with bespoke radiator cabinetry, restored servants bell pull, brass electric floor sockets, original Carrera marble fireplace, cast iron surround with electric fire, wall light points and original oak leaf filigree cornicing.

Moving further along the hall to the rear of the house, on the left is the kitchen breakfast room with Scottwood of Nottingham hand-made and hand-painted kitchen with freestanding dresser, handmade tiles, granite worktops, integral fridge and dishwasher, centrally plumbed for central island unit and a smart Aga taking centre stage. It enjoys views across the rear gardens. At the end of the hall a bespoke radiator cover and window seat overlook the rear garden.

Across the rear hallway is a cloakroom with WC with vanity unit, radiator and window to rear and then a door leading into the grand dining room with a cast iron fireplace, slate surround and Jotul wood burner, original cornice, bespoke radiator cover, wall light points and locally handcrafted half panelled walls. This room has views across the rear garden. Steps lead down off this room to a relaxing conservatory with a slate tiled floor, ceiling blinds and French doors that open out to the garden. A perfect room to ‘bring the outside in’ to the house and for dining in during the warmer times of year.

Lower Ground Floor
The lower ground floor offers generous extra living accommodation. If required, this floor could easily be adapted into a one/two-bedroom self-contained annexe/apartment (stp – subject to any necessary planning).
A separate front entrance porch leads into a panelled reception hall with stone floor and doors leading off to the main reception rooms. There are original wall mounted servants bells and a half-panelled staircase with integral lowlights. At the front of the floor is a light sitting room with ceiling cornice, a large Morso wood burning stove with slate surround on slate hearth and views over the front garden.

Across the hallway is a light study, again overlooking the front gardens with original slate fireplace and cast-iron grate. Off the hallway is a useful storage/pantry area while at the rear of the floor is another large room that is currently used a home gym with storeroom. Adjacent is a bathroom with WC, panelled bath, pedestal basin and airing cupboard with bespoke radiator cover. Finally, there is a separate utility room with central heating boiler and rear hall with secondary access to outside.

First Floor
A grand panelled staircase with polished handrail with understairs storage, original egg and dart cornice, lead up from the ground floor reception hall to the first-floor galleried landing with original carved arches. The principal bedroom features a cast iron fireplace with original slate fire surround, servants bell pull, wall lighting points, wall lighting over bed, cornicing and enjoys excellent views across the front gardens. Across the landing is the second en suite bedroom with servants bells, cornicing, cast iron fireplace and a roll top bath with views across the front gardens. A door leads off to an en suite shower room with WC. The shower room has a locally made vanity unit, Carrera marble top, housing integral mirror and lighting and cornicing.
The shower room also has separate access to the landing. At the rear of the house are two further generous size bedrooms (one with fitted wardrobes) both with cornicing, slate fireplaces, bespoke vanity units and overlook the rear gardens and land. These bedrooms flank another shower room with WC with cornicing, handmade vanity unit with granite top and mirror with integral lighting, ceiling lowlighting, mirrored window panelling and door.

Further details below Local Information.