Lords Parc Farm, Llansteffan

Lords Parc Farm, located in Llansteffan, is a National Trust property set on a 134-acre working farm with sweeping views over the River Towy and Carmarthen Bay. The site offers a stunning panorama of the surrounding countryside and coastline. The farmstead is a fine and relatively unaltered example of 19th-century rural Welsh vernacular architecture, featuring a symmetrical farmhouse and a cluster of barns arranged in a traditional courtyard layout. The building’s proportions and arrangement are characteristic of the mid-19th century, with rare surviving features such as original fittings in the rear service wing and the pantry located in the outshut. The farm is oriented northeast, looking out over a valley, with fields surrounding the heart of the property on all sides.

Glasbren, a local Community Interest Company (CIC) focused on permaculture and local food production, took over as tenant farmers of the property in 2023. They are reimagining the traditionally and modernly farmed land, creating spaces that foster community engagement, while cultivating food in harmony with nature to establish a local and sustainable food supply. The tenure with Glasbren is expected to bring about significant transformations as they manage the land sustainably and responsibly. Additionally, Glasbren has a compelling vision for repurposing and utilizing the on-site buildings to align with their goals for land use, food security, and community enrichment.

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​As part of this vision, one of the key steps is the renovation of a small barn, known as the Laundry and Bakehouse, which is physically connected to Lords Parc Farmhouse. This part of the farm has been unused for many years, yet still retains original features such as slate trays and various ovens, offering a glimpse into the past. To generate a new income stream and welcome visitors to the farm, the clients developed a brief to transform the space into self-sufficient accommodation.

Being a Grade II listed building, the renovation had to be both considerate and sensitive to the building’s existing structure, materials and character, while celebrating the historical features that tell the story of this space and activity that once inhabited the barn. The project includes a small extension to house a toilet and shower room, ensuring the accommodation is fully independent from the main farmhouse and providing guests with a beautiful, traditional, and rural experience at Lords Parc Farm. This extension is situated on the site of an old external agricultural shed, as depicted in historical photos of the farm. By optimising the brownfield site, the new structure uses materials that echo the shed’s original corrugated cladding, maintaining a connection to the farm’s past.
 

In collaboration with Gould Ecology, we developed a plan to enhance the local environment. This includes expanding the hedgerow in the garden, adding bat and bird boxes, and ensuring minimal external lighting to reduce disturbance and support local wildlife surrounding the Bakehouse and Laundry.
 

To learn more about Glasbren, visit their website here: https://www.glasbren.org.uk/Instagram (@glasbren)

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Photo credit: A Great Alternative @agreatalternative

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