The house from "Morris's Views of Seats," circa 1875.
Built / Designed For: Sir Joseph Bailey
House & Family History: Glanusk Park was built by Robert Lugar for Sir Joseph Bailey, an ironmaster who derived his fortune from Nantyglo. The ground plan for the house was the same as Maesllwch Castle (also designed by Lugar). Glanusk contained a two-story colonnaded hall, a drawing room with Ionic screens, and an immense library. After extremely bad treatment by the British military during World War II, the house was demolished in 1954.
Collections: Glanusk housed a life-sized marble statue of Wellington, today at Caterham Barracks. A painting entitled "The Nubian Slave" by Velázquez was listed by Thomas Lloyd in his 1989 book, "The Lost Houses of Wales," as once being in the collection at Glanusk; we can find no evidence that a painting by Velázquez with such a title exists. The closest possibility appears to be Velázquez's 1650 portrait of Juan de Pareja, which was once in the collection of Longford Castle (today in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art). De Pareja was a man of African descent who was born in southern Spain and enslaved in Velázquez’s studio and household for at least 20 years (Velázquez freed de Pareja in 1654).
John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. I, p. 210, 1852.
Title: Lost Houses of Wales, The
Author: Lloyd, Thomas
Year Published: 1989
Reference: pg. 47
Publisher: London: SAVE Britain's Heritage
ISBN: 0905978277
Book Type: Softback
House Listed: Demolished
Park Listed: Not Listed
Current Seat / Home of: Legge-Bourke family
Past Seat / Home of: Sir Joseph Bailey, 1st Bt., 19th century.
Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust
Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home
Ownership Details: Outbuildings, including the private chapel, are available to let for weddings, festivals, corporate events, fishing, and filming. Cottages on the estate are available to let. The Legge-Bourke family lives in outbuildings on the estate.
House Open to Public: Grounds Only
Phone: 01873-810-414
Fax: 01873-811-385
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.glanuskestate.com/
Historic Houses Member: No