Y Bwthyn Bach
| The Little Cottage | |
|---|---|
Y Bwthyn Bach | |
  Location within Berkshire, England | |
| Alternative names | The Welsh Cottage |
| General information | |
| Type | Two-thirds scale cottage |
| Architectural style | Eclectic, neoclassical |
| Location | Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°26′19″N 0°36′22″W / 51.43865°N 0.60616°W |
| Current tenants | British royal family |
| Inaugurated | 16 March 1932 |
| Owner | Charles III |
| Landlord | Crown Estate |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 24 ft × 8 ft (7.3 m × 2.4 m) |
| Other dimensions | 5 ft-high (1.5 m) rooms |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Charles Morgan Willmott |
| Website | |
| www | |
Y Bwthyn Bach ("The Little Cottage") is a royal wendy house standing close to Royal Lodge within Windsor Great Park in England since 1932.
History
The two-thirds scale thatched cottage was a gift to Princess Elizabeth for her sixth birthday (later Queen Elizabeth II) from the people of Wales and placed in the grounds of Royal Lodge.[1][2]
Designed by architect Edmund Willmott as a Welsh-cottage style playhouse, it measures 24 feet long, eight feet deep and with a ceiling height of five feet. Built from materials left over from the redevelopment of Llandough Hospital, it has four rooms: kitchen; living room; and accessed via oak stairs a bedroom; and a bathroom. Services include full running hot and cold water, electricity and a heated towel rail in the bathroom. The kitchen has a working fridge, gas cooker and a miniature blue and white porcelain dining and tea set. In the living room is a working miniature radio, a little oak dresser, a bookcase filled with Beatrix Potter's books, and a picture of their mother the Duchess of York hangs over the oak mantlepiece.[1]
On 17 February 1932, an insurance policy for the house was taken out in the name of Princess Elizabeth of York.[3] On being transported from its construction site in the Welsh Valleys to Drill Hall, Cardiff, the tarpaulin covering the house caught fire, damaging the cottage. Quickly repaired under the insurance policy, the house was presented to Duke of York and his wife on their visit to Greyfriars Hall, Cardiff, on 16 March 1932.[1] The keys were presented to the royal couple by school girl Jean Blake, daughter of plumber and engineer William Blake who helped to construct the cottage, on behalf of the "Princess Elizabeth Model House Committee".[1] Initially put on public display at the Daily Mail-sponsored Ideal Home Exhibition at the Olympia exhibition centre, London, it was then sent on a tour of the UK to raise funds for children's hospital charities. Fully repaired, it was sited on its final location close to Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, before the Princesses were allowed to play with it from December 1933.[1]
In 2012 as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, it was restored under a plan initiated and managed by Princess Beatrice, paid for by her father Prince Andrew, Duke of York. Restored under a pale green and cream colour scheme, the works included new curtains and upholstery, the paintwork was refreshed, the roof was rethatched and the cottage rewired.[1]
Further reading
- Groom, Arthur (1932). Her Majesty's Little House.
- Queen Elizabeth's Little House (cut-out book). Dean & Son. 1952.
- Sharman, Jean; Sharman, Frank (2008). "The Little House at Royal Lodge: 'Y Bwthyn Bach'". Thames Web.
- "Brian Lee: Grandfathers who played a vital role in city's history". Wales Online. 2 September 2010.
Alderman Charles William Melhuish was knighted in 1936 by King Edward VIII. … was Lord Mayor of Cardiff (1931‒1932), … presented on behalf of the people of Wales, a miniature Welsh thatched cottage to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York – as a gift for the sixth birthday of their elder daughter the Princess Elizabath.
- "A British Princess in a Fairyland of her own". The New York Times. 22 June 1933.
Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of York and third in line for the British throne, in the doorway of the miniature Welsh cottage presented to her by the people of Wales and erected on the grounds of Royal Lodge, Windsor.
- "Princess Elizabeth's Little House". Victoria and Albert Museum. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
Y Bwthyn Bach, now stands in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The cottage was used to raise funds for children's hospital charities before Princess Elizabeth was allowed to play with it in December 1932.
- Devine, Darren (10 April 2014). "Revealed: Fascinating story behind Wendy House fit for the Queen". Wales Online.
pictures of its journey from Cardiff to London … Bernie Williams from Rhiwbina, Cardiff … his father Hubert Williams – an engineer with the haulage firm GC Wadsworth – had been instrumental in transporting Y Bwthyn Bach from the Welsh capital … maiden attempt ended up being cut short when the tarpaulin protecting the structure accidentally caught fire, destroying the thatched roof and many of the timbers. … house was returned to Cardiff to be re-thatched before venturing to London once again – firstly to be publicly displayed at the Ideal Home Exhibition at Olympia, before finally coming to rest in Windsor Great Park.
- Miller (2 April 1932). "Royal Toy House" (photograph caption).
It had to be rethatched after being burnt on its journey up to the Ideal Home Exhibition where it is to be on show. The architect E.C. Morgan Willmott congratulates Oscar David one of three brothers who rethatched the cottage after the fire.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Griffiths, Emmy (23 August 2018). "Inside the Queen's impressive Wendy House - and why she was able to keep the gift".
large Wendy House which included a kitchen, living room, a bedroom and a bathroom that came complete with hot and cold running water, electricity and even a heated towel rail. … a mini radio and a tea set … inspected by the Queen Mother and King George VI, but before it was presented to Elizabeth for her birthday, it was damaged in a fire in transit. However, the damage was soon repaired … official gift that came from the people of Wales and … doesn't belong to the Royal Collection Trust … Princess Beatrice, helped to restore the house in 2012 … two-thirds sized house
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - ^ Wood, Chris (29 September 2019). "The Queen's miniature house: Welsh artist sent pictures".
Saxon Jenkins, who died in 1989, made paintings of Welsh castles to go in a miniature house given to the Queen when she was six in 1932. … miniature thatched cottage, Y Bwthyn Bach (The Little Cottage) … a gift from the people of Wales.
- ^ Messers. C. J. Hardwicke & Company, Cardiff; Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth of York of No.145, Piccadilly, London. W.1. "Policy No. 400681".
On the building of the miniature private dwelling house known as "Y Bwthyn Bach" with domestic offices attached or belonging thereto, all asbestos and/or timber built and roofed with thatch, situate No.145 Piccadily, London.W.1 or anywhere in the United Kingdom. £750 On furniture, effects and all other contents therein. £500. … Period of Insurance: From the to
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External links
- The Welsh Cottage, at Royal Collection Trust
- 149082776 Y Bwthyn Bach on OpenStreetMap
- Marr, Andrew; Princess Beatrice of York (6 February 2012). Episode 1 (offset 17:30). The Diamond Queen.