Photographs of Wales, UK

Erddig Hall is a Grade I listed National Trust Property 2 miles south of Wrexham (Wrecsam) in North East Wales. The house was built during the 17th and 18th centuries and lies in an estate of 1,900 acres. It is unusual as a country house open to the public in the prominence given to the servants; one enters via the servant's quarter and the service areas in the basement. The one can see portraits of servants and view areas such as kitchen, still room, butler's pantry and house-keepers room. Outside, the laundry, bakehouse, sawmill, and smithy, provide an insight into how 18th to 20th century servants lived and worked.

The first recorded reference to Wrexham was in 1161 to a castle at 'Wristlesham'. This castle was probably constructed in what is now the grounds of Erddig. The remains of a Norman motte and bailey, constructed around 1090, can be found in the park of the later mansion. The fortress was built on a steep-sided promontory and the ramparts were adapted from a prehistoric hillfort and incorporate a section of Wat's Dyke, which is the northernmost addition of Offa's Dyke connecting to the coast, built by Offa's son.

The original house was built between 1684–1689 to the designs of Thomas Webb for Joshua Edisbury of Pentre Clawdd, who was High Sheriff of Denbighshire. He became bankrupt in 1716 and the property was acquired by John Meller, Master of Chancery. He enlarged the house, adding two wings in the 1720s. He died childless in 1733 and the property passed to his nephew, Simon Yorke (died 1767) the first cousing of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke. From 1771, Simon Yorke was responsible for facing the west front with stone. The house stayedi in the Yorke family for 250 years. General John Yorke (1814-1890) became the owner of Plas Newydd in Langollen, the home of the Ladies of Llangollen

The estate began to decline following the death of Philp Yorke II in 1922 as income diminished and staff were laid off. The house began to decay under his successor, Simon Yorke IV, who became reclusive and failed to install electricity, running water, gas or a phone. Whilst causing damage to the property, this period of neglect ensured that Erddig remained remarkably unaltered. In March 1973, the last squire Philip Scott Yorke, a bachelor, gave Erddig to the National Trust. The house was damaged by subsidence of about 5 feet caused by coal mining at the nearby Bersham Colliery. It was saved from ruin by underpinning using the £120,000 compensaion from the National Coal Board. In addition, 63 acres of the outlying estate were sold for £995,000, which funded restoration on the house, completed on 27 June 1977.

Erddig Hall, west front in 2013

Garden on eastern side

Garden feature on eastern side

Avenue of trees

Garden clock in May 2012

Path to the entrance from the car park. 2023

Home farm in 2023

Outbuilding and Interior Shots




Grinding machine		Chisels in the workshop

Miscellaneous hardware in the yard		Old agricultural cart

Grindstone		Outbuilding around the courtyard

Stabling for the horses		Stairs to West Front entrance

Kitchen scene		Copper pans

Coal fired range		En-suite shower in a bedroom

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