The Decorative Lead Work of Cadoxton Lodge – A Rediscovery (1990)
Keith Tucker
Source: Neath Antiquarian Society
Neath Antiquarian Society Transactions 1995-96.
The Carolian“ manor house known as Cadoxton Lodge stood just north of St. Catwg’s Church. Being the home of the Tennant family until 1931, it was eventually demolished in 1966.
Various newspapers proffered a few photographs of the house but the main record I found to be contained within a book with the lengthy title Glamorgan Vol. IV Domestic Architecture from the Reformation to the Industrial Revolution, Part 1 — The Greater Houses by the Royal Commission for Ancient Monuments in Wales. Having been told that nothing of that fine house had been preserved, I was deeply interested to read there that some ornate lead pipes and rainwater heads had been saved and were ‘deposited in Swansea Museum’. Thus began a trail of detection that can absorb, frustrate and elate students of local history.
My first action was to contact Mr. Bernard Morris, curator of the Swansea Museum (latterly known as the Royal Institution of South Wales) asking him if I could view these artifacts. He startlingly replied that he had no knowledge of them with a certainty that they had never been at Swansea, having recently undertaken a complete inventory connected with Swansea City Council acquiring control of the museum.
The Royal Commission seems, therefore, to have been misinformed. I began to suspect the worst, that they had not been saved at all but had gone for salvage, being melted down during demolition by Idris Hale & Company. My frustrations increased on reading this tantalising mention in a 1928 edition of the South Wales Evening Post.
….At their worst rain water pipes slash the architect’s design with hideous lines which vary in colour from year to year at the caprice of the painter. At their best they are deflected with such feverish anxiety that mere curiosity as to how the water is drained from the roof attracts the eye to a piece of plumbing ingenuity. In Cadoxton the pipes come straight down the face of the house and are its particular glories, for they are rare and delightful examples of decorative lead work, making from the roof to the ground, an artistic decoration of a sanitary necessity.’
Again, in the book ‘Christopher’ by Sir Oliver Lodge I found a detailed description that further extolled their beauty.
‘ .. The ancient lead water pipes and cisterns date probably from the seventieth century. The cisterns are decorated with the figure of Time holding a scythe, and the pipes with floral designs intermingled with leopards’ heads and the face of a man blowing a drapery from his half open mouth.’
In course of my research on Cadoxton village history, I had the good fortune to establish a sympathetic relationship with a surviving member of the Coombe-Tennant family. In correspondence, I enquired about the whereabouts of the pipes to be told that they had been deposited with the National Museum of Wales (NMW) in Cardiff as early as 1947. Further detection led to the knowledge that they has been relocated to St.Fagans on the establishment of the Welsh Folk Museum. A meeting was arranged through the archivist there, Mr. Alwyn Lloyd Hughes, whereby accompanied: by Mr. Syd Johnson, I finally viewed the elusive objects on 11 October 1991.
We were met personally by Mr. Hughes who escorted us to the workshops and explained that the items had been in storage for some time. The best had been selected and brought out for us to see. These had required several washings to remove the accumulated dirt of more than 40 years, and as far as he knew had never been exhibited to the public (which you will realise is somewhat of a shame).
To say that the lead work is ornate would be to understate the case as the following descriptions will demonstrate. The weather being clement, we were allowed to move the items out into the yard for examination and photographing under natural light. The weight of the articles was impressive.
Rainwater Head/Cistern
The upper lip where the water enters from the roof is beaded with an egg and dart design. The box area below formed three panels with a straight back similar to the design used in modern cast iron snow box construction. The centre panel had an inset figure holding a scythe (the blade has been lost), assumed to represent Father Time standing in a bower. On either side of this figure was a basket or cornucopia of flowers and fruits. The holderbats or fixing lugs at either side of the box would be attached to the masonry of the house wall by heavy nails. Since these nails would be rather ugly they were covered by a flap or ‘medallion’, the one to the right hand side was still intact bearing a face of a leopard.
Below, the box section tapered down to enter the downpipe and here we saw a face or mask with a blowing drapery hanging from the mouth (presumably representing the Wind). Surrounding the face was an array of delicate leaves, probably acanthus.
Downpipe
The decoration of the downpipe was equally ornate. From examining the top and bottom of the pipe we could see that each section interlocked provided a drip-proof seal. Again the fixing lugs had covering medallions, but one of the four was not the leopard head but a leaf design.
The main body of the pipe was basically semi-circular in section with a raised front strip featuring a design of floral rosettes and leaves with a repeat of theface and drapery figure along its length.
Photographs of the Lodge indicate that there was no shoe at the end of the bottom pipe, it ran straight into the drainage system.
The lead workers art had similarities with that of the plaster caster of ornate ceilings. The lead would be cast on site using moulds and fixed together by soldering techniques. Lead in those days, due to the primitive refining process, contained a large quantity of silver.
Pediment Panel
We were also shown a triangular panel that featured armorial bearings. This measured 5’ 2” long and 1’ 2” at its widest point. It had been laid on a wooden board to prevent bending during handling.
The average thickness of the backing panel was 4” but in the area of the central shield it approached 2”. The shield featured the three chevron design much used in Glamorgan and chiefly associated with Gilbert de Clare. In modern times this device has become employed in the many achievements of arms belonging to the institutions and local government bodies of the three counties of Glamorganshire.
Although the panel had been cleaned, we could detect traces of the original pain work, being red chevrons on a white ground. This corresponds in Heraldry to gules (red) and argent (silver). White was used as a substitute to silver, since metallic paints were not available at that time.
Both Syd Johnson and myself were delighted with seeing these objects and much camera work followed. St. Fagan’s having no pictorial record of the items, asked if we could provide copies of photographs and we were happy to oblige in consideration of the assistance given to us.
We were then invited to take refreshment and to see the correspondence relating to the acquisition of the artifacts. Here we found fascinating information, some of which I now relate.
Winifred Margaret Coombe-Tennant (chaired the first AGM of the Neath Antiquarian Society in 1924), was the wife of Charles Coombe-Tennant. Being knowledgeable of the historical importance of Cadoxton Lodge, she contacted both Sir Cyril Fox and Dr. Iorwerth Peate, of the National Museum of Wales, on the 28 November 1936 enquiring about the possibility of items being removed for preservation. The lead pipes are mentioned as being beautiful, in spite of being said to have 50 coats of paint applied to them. Further letters dated 8/30 December 1936 from Alexander Coombe-Tennant describes the location of Cadoxton, the Lodge, and articles of interest.
‘… the house is big and rambling for modern use, …. full of old pieces of furniture and pictures …. if your visit takes place I am sure you will find things of interest …. the beautiful and interesting lead work, the glass and plaster work, and the woodwork.’
(During this time Mrs. Coombe-Tennant was most anxious to keep things confidential fearing attracting attention to the empty house and the possibility of vandalism.)
The removal of a fine plaster ceiling is considered in a letter to Sir Cyril Fox from W. Clarke, sculptor and builder of Llandaff. Although no problem with the removal was envisaged, tragically, the work was never undertaken. Notes made after a visit to Cadoxton Lodge by Fox and Peate list other articles as typical examples of the building period. The initial selection, however, came down to the pipes.
The Tennant family were eager to get the artifacts removed from the house since demolition seemed likely in 1937. The NMW were equally anxious that this work be done in a proper manner, without damage. Matters do not then proceed for the next 10 years as everyone became preoccupied with the horrors of World War 2.
Late 1946 sees things progressing again with correspondence from James Howells & Co, builders/contractors of Ropewalk Lane, Neath. At this time the contractor confesses that great care would be needed, since he had no idea how the ancient craftsmen had secured the pipes to the wall. Along with the caretaker, Hubert Jones, they consequently discovered the ‘secret’ fixing method, by prising back the medallions.
The articles were safely delivered to Cardiff shortly after 13 November 1946,the cost of removal and transportation to the museum being £12.18s.6d. and to Mrs. Coombe-Tennant £10.1s.2d. for replacement rainwater goods in 3” asbestos (a charge that appears to have been met consequently with the compliments of the NMW). Formal acknowledgement of deposit was made on 22 March 1947.
Work commenced on removing the many layers of paint with good results. The true beauty of the craftsmanship which had been hidden for well over 200 years was now revealed, making clear that they would make impressive exhibits. Both Winifred and Alexander Coombe-Tennant called to view the results on 4 July 1947, the day after attending the proclamation ceremony for the National Eisteddfod at Bridgend.
As a result, both were keen that a panel with armorial bearings, situated on the north aspect of the house, within the pediment at roof level, should also be preserved. Due again to many applications of paint, the panel when viewed from the ground had been assumed to be a wood carving.
Only when Hubert Jones was directed to remove it to the stables for examination, was it discovered that the panel was made of lead and very lightly held in place by a few copper nails.
The panel was studied by Professor Elwyn J. Jones of University College Swansea, who concluded that it was contemporary with the lead pipes and had every reason to believe it to date about 1690.
In his notes, he attributes the shield to the Llewelyn family being prepared for John Llewelyn of Dyffryn before 1696. The importance of the object thus secured its donation to the NMW around the end of 1947.
So with our visit over and photographic record complete, Syd Johnson and myself left and the items were returned to their storage place.
‘A few months later in February 1992, I was telephoned by Alwyn Lloyd Hughes of the Welsh Folk Museum who asked if I had seen the Western Mail, regarding a fire they had suffered in the Abernodwydd cottage, to which I replied that it was very sad to lose such a historic building.
I did wonder why he had chosen to tell me this, when to my horror, he went on to explain that the attic of that particular cottage had been used to store the Cadoxton Lodge articles, and that all had been reduced to pools of molten lead by the conflagration.
He agreed that this was a very sad end to befall such historical artifacts especially when so much determination, care and effort had been made towards their preservation by Winifred Coombe-Tennant and her son Alexander.
The NMW along with many museums only has space to exhibit a very small part of an immense collection of articles from all over the Principality and sadly, the Cadoxton Lodge items were never on public display. Additionally a fire is the most disastrous occurrence in any museum situation, but is a risk that comes from presenting pieces, particularly cottages, as examples of living history rather than cold exhibits.
The Welsh Folk Museum are among the pioneers of such an approach. No artifacts relating to Cadoxton Lodge are now known to be in existence, other than those held in private hands.
Acknowledgements/Sources
- Welsh Folk Museum — correspondence.47.32/47.413 and photograph
- Alexander J.S. Coombe-Tennant Esq. — personal testimony/photographs
- Sir Oliver Lodge — ‘Christopher, a study in human personality’ Cassell
- South Wales Evening Post — article circa 1928
K. Tucker — photographs
(1) Carolian — from Carolus — belonging to the time of Charles I and II (1625-1649 and 1660-1685)