Slebech
Encyclopedia
Slebech is a parish
in Pembrokeshire
, West Wales
. The community of Slebech is a sparsely populated on the northern shore of the Eastern River Cleddau
. It shares common land boundaries with the Communities of Uzmaston
and Boulston
, Wiston
and Llawhaden
and mainly consists of farmland and woodland. Two thirds of the community is within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
and Picton Castle
's stable block loft is an important breeding roost for the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat
.
by Henry VIII
the lands passed to the Barlow family.
Roger Barlow was born and raised in Slebech. He was part of Sebastian Cabot
's second voyage of 1526 and later he translated the Spanish Suma de Geographie - the account of the New World in English.
was once part of the larger Manor of Wiston
, but had become a separate holding, replacing Wiston Castle by the 13th century. Picton Castle began as a motte castle
and was reconstructed in stone by the Wogan family during the 13th century. In 1405 Frence troops supporting Owain Glyndwr
attached and held the Castle, and it was seized again during the English Civil War
in 1645 by Parliamentary forces.
The Picton Castle estate was acquired by the Phillips family when Sir Thomas ap Philip of Cilsant married Jane, daughter and heiress of Sir Henry Dwnn, of Picton in the 1490s. Sir John Philipps, who inherited the castle in the 15th century, remodelled the building and created a new entrance which remained until the 1820s when a new entrance was designed by Thomas Rowlands (who also designed Slebech Church).
The estate remained with the Phillips family until the death of Lord Milford
, in 1823, when it was inherited by his cousin (through female lines) Richard Grant
, who assumed the surname Philipps and was created a Baronet in 1828 and Baron Milford
in 1847. His heir was his half-brother, the Reverend James Henry Alexander Philipps (formerly Gwyther), who assumed by royal licence the surname and arms of Philipps. On his death the estate passed to his son-in-law, Charles Edward Gregg Philipps, who was created a Baronet in 1887 (see Philipps Baronets
), then to Sir Richard Foley Foley-Philipps, cousin of Sir John Erasmus, and grandson of Charles Edward Gregg Philipps. Now run by the Picton Castle Trust, the present owner, Jeremy Philipps, lives in a lodge in the grounds.
and after his death, John Symmons of Llanstinan. Symmons sold the estate to William Knox of London
, who, in turn, sold it to Nathaniel Phillips.
Nathaniel Phillips was born in England in 1733, the illegitimate son of a merchant trading between London
and Kingston
, Jamaica
. Following his father he arrived at Kingston in April 1759 and used his father's connections to join a partnership with the Kingston merchants who owned sugar plantations which supported the slave trade to obtain workers. Over twenty five years he built a fortune and his Jamaican properties were valued £160,000 Jamaica currency, as well as ownership of 706 slaves valued at £50,000. In 1793, he bought the estate at Slebech from a bankrupt slaver. As well as Slebech Hall and coach house, Phillips bought 600 acres (2.4 km²) of park land and woodland. In 1796 he married Mary, a Philipps forty years younger than him and had two sons (Nathaniel and Edward Augustus) and two daughters (Mary Dorothea and Louisa Catharine). After his death, Phillips' heirs continued to operate the Jamaican estates but they became unprofitable after the end of slavery in 1834.
After the death of Edward, the estate passed to Mary Dorothea and her sister, Louisa Catherine, the Countess of Lichfield, as co-heiress. In 1821 Mary Dorothea met Charles Frederick Baron de Rutzen of Germany in Rome
. A Polish nobleman and descendant of Field Marshal Potemkin, they married in 1822 and became Lords of the Manors of Slebech. Their eldest son, Baron Frederick Leopold Sapieha Manteuffel died and the estate passed to his younger brother, Baron Rudolph William Henry Ehrard, who was succeeded by his nephew, Alan Frederick James. Their 3rd son, Albert Richard Francis Maximilien married Horatia Augusta Stepney Gulston, of Carmarthenshire
and their eldest son, Alan Frederick James married Eleanor Etha Audley Thursby Pelham, in 1908. Their only son, John Frederick Foley de Rutzen married Sheila Victoria Katrin Philipps, of Picton Castle, and their only child, Victoria Anne Elizabeth Gwynne de Rutzen, married Francis Dashwood. Their descendants managed both estates and in 2003 owners Geoffrey and Georgina Philipps created a £4m business and leisure development converted the 18th Century coach house in Slebech Park into a 26 bedroom onference and exhibition centre. It was the first project in Pembrokeshire
to attract European Objective One funding and was also funded by the Welsh Development Agency
(WDA) and the Wales Tourist Board.
Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Henry Archibald Anson
VC
MP
, (5th March 1835 – 17th November 1877), recipient of the Victoria Cross
during the Crimean War
, was born at Slebech Hall.
facilities are limited, with a small church hall. The Rhos village is located along one street which once included a primary school and post office. The old school building is now a private residence. Originally known as 'Slebech and
Picton Castle School', it later became Slebech Voluntary Controlled School and operated from 1866 with support from the Philipps family of Picton Castle. It was taken over by the Education Authority in 1930’s and closed in 1985, with only 11 pupils on the register.
The Church of St John the Baptist is a Grade II listed building which was consecrated in 1848 as Slebech Parish Church in place of the older Parish Church. It was designed by Thomas Rowlands of Haverfordwest
and paid for by Baron de Rutzen with contributions from Queen Adelaide
. The church was deconsecrated in 1990 due to subsidence.
The Stable Block at Picton Castle
is Grade II listed. A rectangular block 40m by 60m built of local rubble stone masonry with quoins of limestone. An unusual feature is that crenellated parapets hide slate roofs. The stables have an octagonal clock-tower with a weathervane. The stable block loft is also an important breeding roost for the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat
(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and numbers have been recorded at Slebech since 1983.
Blackpool Bridge is Grade II listed and located to the east of Blackpool Mill to cross the River Cleddau
. A single span bridge, it was built about 1825 for the de Rutzens family of coursed, undressed stone, with two carved external panels on either side and dressed stone edge on the rim of the arch. To the south of the bridge are stone piers topped by ball finials.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
. The community of Slebech is a sparsely populated on the northern shore of the Eastern River Cleddau
River Cleddau
The River Cleddau consists of the Eastern and Western Cleddau rivers in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. They unite to form the Daugleddau estuary, which forms the important harbour of Milford Haven....
. It shares common land boundaries with the Communities of Uzmaston
Uzmaston
Uzmaston is a small parish in Pembrokeshire, Wales, about 2 kilometres south-east of Haverfordwest....
and Boulston
Boulston
Boulston is a village in Pembrokeshire, Wales....
, Wiston
Wiston, Pembrokeshire
Wiston is a village and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the United Kingdom. It was once a marcher borough. Owen, in 1603, described it as one of nine Pembrokeshire "boroughs in decay"...
and Llawhaden
Llawhaden
Llawhaden is a village and parish in the Hundred of Dungleddy , Pembrokeshire, West Wales.Llawhaden was a civil parish, area 1865 Ha....
and mainly consists of farmland and woodland. Two thirds of the community is within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a national park along the Pembrokeshire coast in West Wales.It was established as a National Park in 1952, and is the only one in the United Kingdom to have been designated primarily because of its spectacular coastline...
and Picton Castle
Picton Castle
Picton Castle is a medieval castle near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally built at the end of the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and is still inhabited by his descendants, the Philipps family ....
's stable block loft is an important breeding roost for the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
.
History
Slebech is situated on the upper Eastern Cleddau and was once part of the Barony of Daugleddau. In the Middle Ages Slebech belonged to the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John and the original church on the bank of the river was established in 1161, together with a commandery which became the headquarters of the order in West Wales. After the Dissolution of the MonasteriesDissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
by Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
the lands passed to the Barlow family.
Roger Barlow was born and raised in Slebech. He was part of Sebastian Cabot
Sebastian Cabot (explorer)
Sebastian Cabot was an explorer, born in the Venetian Republic.-Origins:...
's second voyage of 1526 and later he translated the Spanish Suma de Geographie - the account of the New World in English.
Picton Castle
The estates, gardens and parkland of Picton CastlePicton Castle
Picton Castle is a medieval castle near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally built at the end of the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and is still inhabited by his descendants, the Philipps family ....
was once part of the larger Manor of Wiston
Wiston, Pembrokeshire
Wiston is a village and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the United Kingdom. It was once a marcher borough. Owen, in 1603, described it as one of nine Pembrokeshire "boroughs in decay"...
, but had become a separate holding, replacing Wiston Castle by the 13th century. Picton Castle began as a motte castle
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
and was reconstructed in stone by the Wogan family during the 13th century. In 1405 Frence troops supporting Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
attached and held the Castle, and it was seized again during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in 1645 by Parliamentary forces.
The Picton Castle estate was acquired by the Phillips family when Sir Thomas ap Philip of Cilsant married Jane, daughter and heiress of Sir Henry Dwnn, of Picton in the 1490s. Sir John Philipps, who inherited the castle in the 15th century, remodelled the building and created a new entrance which remained until the 1820s when a new entrance was designed by Thomas Rowlands (who also designed Slebech Church).
The estate remained with the Phillips family until the death of Lord Milford
Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford (first creation)
Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford , known as Sir Richard Philipps, Bt, from 1764 to 1776, was a Welsh landowner and Tory politician.-Background and education:...
, in 1823, when it was inherited by his cousin (through female lines) Richard Grant
Richard Philipps, 1st Baron Milford (second creation)
Richard Bulkeley Philipps Philipps, 1st Baron Milford , known as Richard Grant until 1823 and as Sir Richard Philipps, Bt, from 1828 to 1847, was a British politician and landowner.-Background:...
, who assumed the surname Philipps and was created a Baronet in 1828 and Baron Milford
Baron Milford
Baron Milford is a title that has been created three times, once in the Peerage of Ireland and twice in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. All three creations have been for members of the same family. The first creation came in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776 when Sir Richard Philipps, 7th Baronet,...
in 1847. His heir was his half-brother, the Reverend James Henry Alexander Philipps (formerly Gwyther), who assumed by royal licence the surname and arms of Philipps. On his death the estate passed to his son-in-law, Charles Edward Gregg Philipps, who was created a Baronet in 1887 (see Philipps Baronets
Philipps Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies created for members of the Welsh Philipps family, one in the Baronetage of England and three in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom ....
), then to Sir Richard Foley Foley-Philipps, cousin of Sir John Erasmus, and grandson of Charles Edward Gregg Philipps. Now run by the Picton Castle Trust, the present owner, Jeremy Philipps, lives in a lodge in the grounds.
Slebech Park
Slebech Park developed from estates belonging to the Knights Hospitaller and their Commandery at Slebech Church. After the dissolution the Barlow family built Slebech Mansion near the site of the Commandery, and established Slebech Park. After the death of George Barlow in 1757, his daughter Anne married William Trevanion of CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and after his death, John Symmons of Llanstinan. Symmons sold the estate to William Knox of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, who, in turn, sold it to Nathaniel Phillips.
Nathaniel Phillips was born in England in 1733, the illegitimate son of a merchant trading between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. Following his father he arrived at Kingston in April 1759 and used his father's connections to join a partnership with the Kingston merchants who owned sugar plantations which supported the slave trade to obtain workers. Over twenty five years he built a fortune and his Jamaican properties were valued £160,000 Jamaica currency, as well as ownership of 706 slaves valued at £50,000. In 1793, he bought the estate at Slebech from a bankrupt slaver. As well as Slebech Hall and coach house, Phillips bought 600 acres (2.4 km²) of park land and woodland. In 1796 he married Mary, a Philipps forty years younger than him and had two sons (Nathaniel and Edward Augustus) and two daughters (Mary Dorothea and Louisa Catharine). After his death, Phillips' heirs continued to operate the Jamaican estates but they became unprofitable after the end of slavery in 1834.
After the death of Edward, the estate passed to Mary Dorothea and her sister, Louisa Catherine, the Countess of Lichfield, as co-heiress. In 1821 Mary Dorothea met Charles Frederick Baron de Rutzen of Germany in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. A Polish nobleman and descendant of Field Marshal Potemkin, they married in 1822 and became Lords of the Manors of Slebech. Their eldest son, Baron Frederick Leopold Sapieha Manteuffel died and the estate passed to his younger brother, Baron Rudolph William Henry Ehrard, who was succeeded by his nephew, Alan Frederick James. Their 3rd son, Albert Richard Francis Maximilien married Horatia Augusta Stepney Gulston, of Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
and their eldest son, Alan Frederick James married Eleanor Etha Audley Thursby Pelham, in 1908. Their only son, John Frederick Foley de Rutzen married Sheila Victoria Katrin Philipps, of Picton Castle, and their only child, Victoria Anne Elizabeth Gwynne de Rutzen, married Francis Dashwood. Their descendants managed both estates and in 2003 owners Geoffrey and Georgina Philipps created a £4m business and leisure development converted the 18th Century coach house in Slebech Park into a 26 bedroom onference and exhibition centre. It was the first project in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
to attract European Objective One funding and was also funded by the Welsh Development Agency
Welsh Development Agency
The Welsh Development Agency was a QUANGO and later an Assembly Sponsored Public Body established in 1976 to encourage business development and investment in Wales, to clear derelict land and to encourage growth of local businesses...
(WDA) and the Wales Tourist Board.
Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Henry Archibald Anson
Augustus Henry Archibald Anson
Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus Henry Archibald Anson VC MP was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.He was member of parliament for Lichfield from 1859 until 1868 and for...
VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, (5th March 1835 – 17th November 1877), recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, was born at Slebech Hall.
Geology
On the northern bank of the Eastern Cleddau, the foreshore is of mud, marsh and rocks. Slebech has extensive deciduous woodland and open farmland. Fields are large and regular and are divided by earth banks topped with hedges. Agriculture land use is improved pasture with a small proportion of arable crops.The Rhos village
The only settlement of any size is the small hamlet of The Rhos with a population of 25 people. Community services andfacilities are limited, with a small church hall. The Rhos village is located along one street which once included a primary school and post office. The old school building is now a private residence. Originally known as 'Slebech and
Picton Castle School', it later became Slebech Voluntary Controlled School and operated from 1866 with support from the Philipps family of Picton Castle. It was taken over by the Education Authority in 1930’s and closed in 1985, with only 11 pupils on the register.
Listed buildings
Grade II listed Slebech Park is one of a total of 25 listed buildings in Slebech with the main ones as follows:The Church of St John the Baptist is a Grade II listed building which was consecrated in 1848 as Slebech Parish Church in place of the older Parish Church. It was designed by Thomas Rowlands of Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales and serves as the County's principal commercial and administrative centre. Haverfordwest is the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire, with a population of 13,367 in 2001; though its community boundaries make it the second most populous...
and paid for by Baron de Rutzen with contributions from Queen Adelaide
Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen
Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom. Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia, is named after her.-Early life:Adelaide was born on 13 August 1792 at Meiningen, Thuringia, Germany...
. The church was deconsecrated in 1990 due to subsidence.
The Stable Block at Picton Castle
Picton Castle
Picton Castle is a medieval castle near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally built at the end of the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and is still inhabited by his descendants, the Philipps family ....
is Grade II listed. A rectangular block 40m by 60m built of local rubble stone masonry with quoins of limestone. An unusual feature is that crenellated parapets hide slate roofs. The stables have an octagonal clock-tower with a weathervane. The stable block loft is also an important breeding roost for the rare Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
(Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and numbers have been recorded at Slebech since 1983.
Blackpool Bridge is Grade II listed and located to the east of Blackpool Mill to cross the River Cleddau
River Cleddau
The River Cleddau consists of the Eastern and Western Cleddau rivers in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. They unite to form the Daugleddau estuary, which forms the important harbour of Milford Haven....
. A single span bridge, it was built about 1825 for the de Rutzens family of coursed, undressed stone, with two carved external panels on either side and dressed stone edge on the rim of the arch. To the south of the bridge are stone piers topped by ball finials.