Miskin Manor is a Victorian manor house built in 1864 in a Tudor style, situated in the village of Miskin in Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales. The estate was owned by the Williams family including Rhys Rhys-Williams for many years who were descended from the Welsh bard David Williams. Today the manor is used as a hotel and venue for wedding receptions.
History
Miskin Manor was built in 1864 to the design of David Vaughan, but additions have been made throughout its history. The earliest building on the site is thought to have been a service range, perhaps 17th century, to which the manor was built. In 1923 the manor house was partly consumed by fire which destroyed the south wing. In 1940 the manor house was taken over by the Red Cross and used as a convalescent home. Lady Williams was commandant of the Red Cross Hospital there and continued to occupy part of the building, giving the manor as her home address when writing to The Times in 1943. The manor was then passed from the Red Cross to the local health authority in 1948 for continued use as a hospital. This arrangement later caused Sir Rhys some distress in old age and he lodged a formal protest at the actions of the Pontypridd and Rhondda Hospital Committee, claiming they had deprived him of the use of the house for six years and had paid only the sum £1 4s in rent during this period. Sir Rhys alleged that the hospital committee were now refusing to buy the house, having previously agreed to do. However the hospital was expensive to run and the Hospital Management Committee gave notice they were going to close it and that it was not economic to buy the manor. Lady Williams continued to occupy the manor after her husband's death in 1955.
The origin of the village was a small hamlet known as New Mill, which grew up around New Mill farm. Miskin is part of the Pontyclunelectoral ward.
History
The 1841 census records the settlement (originally a small hamlet by the name of New Inn) as having a population of 31. The opening of the Bute and Mwyndy iron ore mines in nearby Talbot Green in 1852 and 1853 respectively, had a huge impact on the small hamlet of New Mill. The census of 1861 shows that New Mill had become a village. Its population was now 83 people divided in 17 households, of these 83 residents 17 were iron ore miners. By the early 1870s New Mill had become the village of Miskin, with the village centre being based around the inn, which is now The Miskin Arms pub..
The name change from New Mill to Miskin was brought about by Judge Gwilym Williams, and was taken from the medieval commote of Miskin by Williams, a staunch Welsh patriot, he lived at Miskin Manor (built 1864), a Victorian L-plan mansion in a neo-Tudor style.
A surname in English, derived from Norman French "le meschin' meaning 'the younger'. For example William le Meschin in The 1161 Pipe Rolls for Warwickshire England
A term in Islamic writing (plural masakin) denoting a needy person, destitute and worthy of being given food on fast days
By extension in general usage, communes and associations of poor people; and a euphemism for money saving techniques. For example:
- in Indonesia, 'Kampung Miskin, Jakarta' (a shanty town) and 'Aliansi Rakyat Miskin' (Poor Peoples' Alliance)
- in some African countries,'a miskin call' is a brief telephone call terminated before it is answered so that the other party then returns the call at their expense
- 'Old Aston' slang (Birmingham, UK) for a waste receptacle
Many of our friends and my family, who were making the 400-mile round trip to Cardiff, had secured rooms at the picturesque Grade II listedMiskinManorHotel, which is set in 25 acres of glorious grounds, and the wedding suite had been sorted.
Charmer Oritsé whisked an oblivious Kazz to the MiskinManorHotel in Cardiff for what she believed was a Valentine's-themed photoshoot with motorbike manufacturer Harley-Davidson.
