Royal House, Machynlleth

The Royal House in Machynlleth is a 16th-century Merchants House with extensive interior timber framing, clad in stone on the outside, with two massive chimney stacks. The building has been dated by denchrochronology or tree-ring dating giving felling dates for timbers within the house of 1559–1561, and for the rear store-house range of 1576. The Building was acquired by the Machynlleth Tabernacle Trust and excavations and survey were undertaken by CPAT before restoration work was started in 2005. The restoration was supported by the Heritage Lottery funding supported the restoration in 2006LocationIn the centre of the town, in Heol Maengwyn, on the corner of Penrallt and Garsiwn.HistoryRoyal House is a mid 16th century town-house, which combined, probably from the outset, domestic and commercial functions, with domestic accommodation between a shop facing the street and a slightly later store-house at the rear. It occupied a half-burgage plot within the late medieval town, and was built to run lengthwise down the plot. The building has been tree-ring dated, giving felling dates for timbers within the house of 1559–1561, and for the rear store-house range of 1576.History of the Royal HouseAlthough the Royal House has had a long commercial history, much of the early structure and layout have, remarkably, survived. The original house was extended by the addition of the store-house (referred to as ‘’ysgubor newydd’’ in 1628), and whilst the character of the shop facade is early 19th century, it covers an earlier structure, which had been extended towards the street with the addition of a storeyed porch, probably of the 17th century.. Documentary evidence for the history and use of this building starts with a reference to it in 1581. In 1656, it was the home of a draper, William Lloyd, who sold it, in that year, to Thomas Pugh, a mercer. It was an occupied by mercers until at least the early 18th century, and probably by a family of drapers during the C19. A currier may have occupied it at some time during the late C17.