The damage is worse than it appears – and thieves have discovered it
Grade II*-listed, 1853, William B. Colling
Commissioned by the Welsh industrialist Lewis Llewellyn Dillwyn, Hendrefoilan House was constructed in 1853 on the site of a medieval farmhouse of the same name. When Dillwyn died, his talented novelist daughter was not permitted to inherit, and the house went first to his nephew, and then to a series of private owners. The building was taken over by what is now Swansea University in the 1960s, and was used for accommodation and teaching, but it has deteriorated in recent years after falling out of active use. Lead thefts indicate that criminals are aware of it. The Victorian Society calls upon the owner to repair this impressive building and keep it safe until its future is secure.
Status Update/ March 2026
In 2019, Hendrefoilan House was purchased by new owners, who moved into the stable block whilst converting the principal building into a family home. Two years later, a fire tore through the building and, despite four fire crews arriving at the scene, the building was severely compromised, with the roof and the upper floor completely destroyed.