Rhosygilwen

Last updated

Rhosygilwen is an estate and former mansion in Rhoshill, Pembrokeshire in the community and parish of Cilgerran, South-west Wales. It is a centre for culture, retreat, celebration, eco-housing planning and renewable energy. The owner and CEO is Dr Glen Peters MBE.

Contents

History

Entrance to Carreg Dyn, Rhosygilwen Entrance to Carreg Dyn, Rhosygilwen - geograph.org.uk - 427572.jpg
Entrance to Carreg Dyn, Rhosygilwen

Rhosygilwen was owned by the Jones family until 1697, when it passed to the Colby family who owned it until the 20th century; Thomas Frederick Colby was raised there. His father Thomas Colby was High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire in 1771. The house was rebuilt in the 1830s, and again towards the end of the century. In 1985, the upper floors suffered a fire, but the original oak central staircase remains. [1]

The present owner, engineer and novelist Dr Glen Peters, [2] acquired the property in 1994 after the house had suffered a serious fire and was about to be demolished. A solar farm, the first of its kind in Wales, was established in 2011. [3]

In 2024, in order to stabilise the electricity needed to run the estate, a turbine planning application was backed by the planning committee. [3] The erection was completed in 2025.

Cultural venue

The estate of Rhosygilwen, covering 50 acres (20 ha), is a cultural venue, retreat and events centre. The main house, [1] coach house [4] and gated entrance [5] are listed buildings. Neuadd y Dderwen (The Oak Hall) is a carbon neutral 250-seat building that has attracted such performers as Catrin Finch, Shân Cothi and Maddy Prior. [6] In June 2023, BBC Radio's Any questions? was broadcast from Rhosygilwen. [7]

Menter Rhosygilwen

Menter Rhosygilwen is a limited company whose purpose is "Support activities to performing arts", and has four directors, including Glen Peters. [8] A music bursary was launched in 2024, [9] which was increased in 2025 owing to the high standards. [10] [11]

Pembrokeshire Book Festival

Rhosygilwen hosts the annual Penfro Book Festival. [12]

Renewable energy

This aspect of Rhosygilwen is supported by Western Solar whose director, Dr Glen Peters, is the owner of Rhosygilwen estate. [13] In 2011 the first solar energy farm in Wales was installed at Rhosygilwen, with 10,000 panels in a field of 6 acres (2.4 ha). [14] Dr Peters was appointed MBE in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours "For services to Green Energy and Eco Housing". [15] To support the estate in the winter months, a wind turbine was installed in 2025.

Western Solar

The company, whose headquarters are at Rhosygilwen, describe nature of their business as the production of electricty and construction of domestic buildings. [16]

Pentre Solar, Glanrhyd

A development of six sustainable homes at Glanrhyd was approved by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park's planning committee in June 2014, with conditions that the buildings would be manufactured locally and free solar powered electricity would be provided. [17] The development was completed in 2017. [18]

Berllan Aur, Boncath

Work began on sustainable homes in Boncath in 2019 using locally-sourced materials wherever possible. [19] They were ready to be handed over to residents in 2021. [20]

References

  1. 1 2 Cadw. "Rhosygilwen (Grade II) (14529)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  2. ↑ "Reviving Indian democracy". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  3. 1 2 Sinclair, Bruce (21 May 2024). "£1m scheme for '20-storey-high' Pembrokeshire wind turbine backed". Tenby Observer. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  4. ↑ Cadw. "The Coach House (Grade II) (14530)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  5. ↑ Cadw. "Gatepiers and Gates to Rhosygilwen Driveway (Grade II) (14531)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "Visit Pembrokeshire: Rhosygilwen" . Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  7. ↑ "BBC Any Questions?". 9 June 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Companies House: Menter Rhosygilwen" . Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  9. ↑ https://ymmd.org.uk/young-musician-of-dyfed Young musician of dyfed and masterclasses at Rhosygilwen
  10. ↑ Birt, Elizabeth (21 May 2024). "Menter Rhosygilwen launches annual music bursary for 2025". Tivyside Advertiser. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  11. ↑ "Two local musicians awarded four-figure bursaries from Menter Rhosygilwen". The Pembrokeshire Herald. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  12. ↑ Becky Hotchin (10 April 2019). "Penfro festival's poetry, short story and radio drama competitions open". Tivyside Advertiser. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  13. ↑ "Western Solar: Rhosygilwen: Solar Farm" . Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Wales' first solar park powers up in Pembrokeshire". BBC. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "2025 Birthday and Operational Honours". London Gazette. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  16. ↑ "Companies House: Western Solar" . Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "Sustainable homes go-ahead". Tivyside advertiser. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  18. ↑ Steven Morris (6 January 2017). "Inside Glanrhyd, the first solar 'eco hamlet' in Wales". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  19. ↑ Parkinson, Dave (16 December 2019). "Boncath eco-home scheme uses timber from its own doorstep". Tivyside Advertiser. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  20. ↑ Parkinson, David (30 January 2021). "How a North Pembrokeshire company is making its mark in construction industry". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.