The building you have just passed is the spectacular Ratgoed Hall. It was built by by quarry owner Horatio Nelson Hughes, a wealthy Liverpudlian, in around 1870. It would have been one of the gradest buildings for miles. The tramway came right up to the hall, and apparently the family used to travel down to the chapel on Sunday is a specially made tram cart with red velvet seats.
Inside the hall was just as magnificent, with ornate tiles and fancy plaster mouldings. Upstairs was a Wedgewood bathroom suite with a toilet, sink and bath. The wine cellar was capable of holding 100 bottles of wine.
In 1936 an unusually large amount of rainfall caused the dam from the largest reservoir used by the quarry to burst. The water thankfully missed the hall, but did destroy a section of garden, and part of the stable block. It also destroyed the drive where it crossed the stream, and the grand entrance to the front of the house was no longer usable, and never repaired.
By 1943 the hall had become a Youth Hostel. It never managed to attract enough visitors to be financially viable, but was popular with soldiers from Tonfannau Army Camp, who used it as part of a circular 2 day route.
The land and hall was sold to the Forestry Comission in 1953. Left standing empty the house soon began to deteriorate. It was sold again in 1966, and carried on deteriorating over the next 50 years.
Please remember this is private property and stick to the public footpath which goes to the right of the house.