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Vaynol as homeLast updated: 28 December 2007

Charles Duff, the son of thelast family to call Faenol'home', remembers life on theestate in the company of oldfriends.

"The National Eisteddfod will be the first time lots of the localpeople will ever have been onto the estate. There shouldhave been lots more occasions for people to come here thanthere were, though it was open for certain events. Weopened the gardens for charity and the Boy Scouts used tocome here sometimes.

It was always possible to hold events on the estate if youasked, but there was no real imagination behind it, especiallyif you think of so many other large estates in Britain at thetime doing rock concerts and such. My father rather hopedthere could be a wildlife park here, like Longleat in Wiltshire.I remember going there to see Mr Chipperfield and he cameup here to see us, but he wasn't interested in having either acircus or a wildlife park as it was too far off the beaten track,which is extremely insulting and he was wrong. It's sinceproved to be one of the most popular tourist areas in thecountry.

When I was first here, all the lodges were locked and youhad to hoot the horn and they'd come out and unlock them,but my mother got that stopped and in theory you couldwander in and out if you wanted to, but I'm sure local peopledidn't feel they could come in - and with a series of fiercegamekeepers on the look-out for poachers, it was prettyforbidding stuff.

That seven mile wall around the estate is very forbidding too,very 'keep out', which I think was the message when it wasoriginally built.

I wish there was more stuff like the Bryn Terfel concertsgoing on. It's wonderful that a man of his stature uses theVaynol for his festival. I long to go - I love singing and I loveopera, and I know many that have been here and enjoyed itso it's absolutely on the agenda.

It's a house that should be full of activity, fun and energy. Italways was. The Vaynol had a reputation for being the houseof conviviality and happiness. Then there was that longperiod after my father died when nothing much was going on,but now it seems to me that there's some sort of directionfor the future.

My father died in 1980 when I was 30. I left home when I

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went to college in Bristol when I was 19, but came back forholidays, though less and less during the 1970s.

I went away to school in London then boarding school invarious places. People of my background did that then. Inhindsight it looks a bit cruel and barbaric, but it made theholidays all the nicer to have this to come back to.

My mother came from a large family in Anglesey, her brotherstill lives there. Her sister also lived quite near and they bothhad children my age and when the rest of the family came inthe holidays it was busy. In the 1950s and early 60s it wasalways full of children and at its best. The house needs that.It hasn't got that now. It's a house that welcomes childrenand it would be great to have more family events here.

This room was the library and there was a wonderful desk towrite at in the window and chairs round the fireplace. It wasa very quiet room and I spent a lot of time in here, readingthe good books. There was always good energy here, neverany tension like there was in the white and gold drawingroom.

There were also roses outside the window. Ann, who workedin the gardens, was just telling us how she'd have to goround with weedkiller and salt to kill all the weeds - it wasimmaculate. But I rather like it quite overgrown, a littlechaotic.

It's been lovely and enchanting to have this reunion. I knewall these people when I was a child and they were soimportant to me. It is great to see Derek in particular. Hisparents, George and Mrs Randall, are still alive, living inMenai Bridge. They brought me up, saved my life when I wasa child. George the chauffeur was the most wonderful, kind,sweet, generous and funny man - we all adored George.

I went to the Old Hall yesterday and it was a great sadness.It's one of the greatest Elizabethan houses in the whole ofWales. It was a terrible failure on somebody's part that itwas allowed to get in that state.

I saw the Restoration programme and made all my friendswatch and vote for it too. If there was any way I could havecheated so it would have won, I would have indulged it, butwhat can one say? It's tragic.

It's got worse since. I remember the most wonderfulplasterwork with delicate engraving, but it's all gone. Thedownstairs is one of the best rooms in Wales. But I can't geton my high horse because my father and grandfather havegot to take most of the blame.

The problem was, until our day, that period wasn't veryfashionable. The 18th century and onwards was consideredworth saving and anything before that was seen as pre-historic - you patched it up a bit but it didn't really matter.

I hardly ever went into it when I was a child because wedidn't live there. It was lived in first by Mr Harrison, the farm

Tai HanesyddolO blastai crand i ffermyddgwledig, camwch drosdrothwy rhai o dai mwyaf

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manager and his family and I went there for tea with a boycalled Jeffrey who was my age. Then Mr Humphreys, hissuccessor, then Ray [Williams] and finally David Gladstone,the agent of the estate, and his family.

I think it was always falling to pieces, I don't think anymoney was ever being spent on it and I think that was rathershameful.

It's a perfect enclave, a compound with the walled gardenand the chapel, a world unto itself. It used to have the mostwonderful topiary hedges and the gardens of the old housewere the most beautifully designed late 16th centurygardens. It's a place of great beauty, but is it just going tobe allowed to deteriorate further?

I often come back to this part of the world to stay with myuncle and aunt on Anglesey. My favourite place is LlynDywarchen. It's the most magical place in the world. It'sunlike anywhere. I think of it as a perfect place to go forpeace, to meditate and to see Snowdon.

I had been back to the estate quite often to walk around andit was so sad, desolate and empty. It's pointless having 1,000acres with nothing going on - just bits being sold off to makesome quick bucks, not constructive, and I'd like to think thathas ended now."


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Wall of silenceLast updated: 02 September 2008

A BBC Wales programme tooka fascinating look at thehistory of the mysteriousmansion beyond the VaynolEstate wall, uncovering thetruth surrounding tales ofscandal and a royal rumour.The programme will bereapeated on 3 September 2008.

The seven-mile stone wall surrounding the Vaynol Estateconcealed the unconventional and scandalous lives of SirMichael and Lady Caroline Duff. Surprisingly, their adoptedson, Charles Duff, their only child, did not inherit the estate,further fuelling local speculation about his identity. Locals talkabout a royal link, some suggesting that he is the illegitimateson of Princess Margaret.

BBC TWO Wales took Charles Duff back to the family homefor the first time in 25 years. During this emotional journeyhe talks about his upbringing, a childhood surrounded bycelebrities, society figures and royalty, and reveals the truthabout his real identity.

"I love this part of the world... but coming back to Faenolitself has mixed feelings for me," says Duff, who now lives inLondon and is a theatre historian at The Globe Theatre and inthe US.

His father, Sir Michael Duff, godfather to Lord Snowdon, andmother, Lady Caroline, daughter of Anglesey's Plas Newydd,were both bisexual. It was a marriage of convenience. Theyboth had many lovers, with artist Rex Whistler and one-timePrime Minister Anthony Eden among the beautiful LadyCaroline's list of partners.

"It was such a strange childhood because it was so cut off,enclosed behind that grim and forbidding keep-out wall," saysDuff. "It was like being in a wonderful prison, I suppose, butit must have been very exclusive."

The house was frequented by politicians, royalty andsocialites, as previously unseen private family film footageand pictures show, featuring figures such as the QueenMother, the Queen, Lord Snowdon, Princess Marina, CecilBeaton, Princess Margaret, Prime Minster Harold Macmillanand Lady Dorothy Macmillan. Many of the photographs fromthe private family album were taken by Cecil Beaton.

"There was a lot of dancing here," says Duff, standing inFaenol's pink hall for the first time in a quarter of a century."We had a carpet which was rolled up, and people danced




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and played games. And I remember Princess Margaretexhausting us by dancing all night - she kept us up most ofthe night. It was a place of great conviviality and energy andjoy and this is what it ought to be, I think."

But the fun and frivolity began to fade when Duff was in histeens, with the deterioration of his parents' relationship.

"There was a malaise going on with him, I would say," recallsDuff of his father. "By this time he thought that he had madethe most ghastly error in marrying my mother and I thinkthat he thought they must have lost their reason adopting achild. I think he felt everything that had gone wrong with hislife had been because of this - and he started to demoniseboth my mother and myself. I think that once that started tohappen, to be frank with you, neither of us could really domuch right."

But, in spite of this, a social front was maintained, and at thePrince of Wales' investiture at Caernarfon Castle in 1969,Faenol played a central role, with 18 members of royaltygathered here, as previously unseen archive footage shows.

The programme features a reunion between Charles Duff andformer Faenol staff, interviews with locals who reiterate therumours and local opinion of the family and historian, andarchivist Gareth Heulfryn, who tells how all the Faenol estaterecords were burnt when it was sold in 1984, adding to theair of secrecy.

The programme also features an interview with the currentMarquis of Anglesey, Lady Caroline's brother.

"She was a wonderful girl, a great lady," he says of his sister."For a time she was an actress when she was quite youngand quite successful. They were very unconventional, thosepeople over at Faenol."

So what about the true identity of Charles Duff? He disclosesthat he knows his true blood identity and addresses the localrumours of a royal scandal.

"Producing this documentary was truly fascinating," saysproducer Llinos Wynne. "Charles Duff was willing to speak socandidly about his unconventional and sometimes painfulchildhood at Faenol. We were given access to hours of privatefilm footage as well as the family albums. Many of the familysnaps in the album were taken by Cecil Beaton himself. Thesealone were such an insight into what life was like beyond thatfamiliar wall, but coupled with Charles' willingness to speakso openly, it creates compelling viewing."

your comments

Irene Laird, CaernarfonWhat a nasty comment from Alwyn Parry who loves Walesso much he couldn't get much further enough away from it

voice heard.


hanesyddol yr ardal

in New Zealand. You may have been poor Mr Parry like mostof us, but you probably had more of a normal upbringingthan Charles Duff did. What an awful thing to be adopted bya weird couple who then disinherit you.Mon Jun 8 10:01:51 2009

Janet Burnett, Swanley, KentMy husband, Don Burnett, was a chauffeur for Daimler Hirein 1969 and drove the lead car with Sir Michael Duff in atthe Investiture of Prince Charles. Although I didn't marryDon until 1995, he took me to Vaynol Park (which was veryrun down and quite upsetting to see) and told me the storywhen he stayed there for the Investiture.

We also managed to track down Anne Goodman and chattedover the old times and I still send her a Xmas card (RonPike was talking about her). My husband died in 2000. I amsorry to say that I missed the TV programme and hope itwill be repeated.Mon Nov 24 14:41:29 2008

Ted Owen, LlandegfanThe seven mile long wall that surounds the estate had fourforemen on the stonemasons, with one being my great greatgreat granfather. I believe that on the completion of thework each of the foremen placed an inch square stone sideby side in the face of the wall. I believe they are somewherenear the main lodge.Tue Nov 11 09:28:54 2008

Katie LenchI am a historian who has been researching the long historyof the Vaynol Estate for nearly a decade. Wall of silence is agood name - the most recent times of the Estate's history(from the mid twentieth century) have been the hardest tofind out about. A great deal of Vaynol paperwork bothpersonal and business was burnt by staff after Sir Michael'sdeath. Mon Oct 6 10:04:59 2008

Gary Lloyd from Telford, ShropshireSince holidaying in North Wales for many a year, doesanyone know if the Vaynol Estate is open to the public ondays other than when the Faenol festival is on because I aminterested in seeing what the Hall looks like.Wed Sep 10 09:34:39 2008

KEVIN MUNDY FROM IPSWICHi worked at vaynol in 1984 after eric jones and partnersbought it. it was a lovley place i saw the tree the queenmum planted in front of the big house and saw themausaleum.were sir micheal was laid to rest.inside was allwhite marble and silver chandeliers a lovley place and iwould love to see the program.Wed Jul 30 09:17:26 2008

Marilyn Assheton-Smith Edmonton CanadaLike others above, I would like to see this documentary now,and think about it in relation to other images I have of theestate from visiting it. My aunt, also an Assheton-Smith andin the Royal Canadian Navy during WW11, said there was a

Lady Joan Assheton-Smith in the UK navy at that time. Or insome military position. Tue Jul 22 09:28:34 2008

Harlan-Blond from Bainbridge Island, Wa. 98110I am fascinated with the sudden discovery of Sir Michael.One of the most interesting foot notes to social historywould be the guest book, which Michael insisted we all sign.Of course unfortunately I can not remember what wrote ordrew. Was the Pembroke family able to retrieve the book?In my callow youth I hadn't realized all the world seemed tohave visited Vaynol. An enterprising editor and publisherwould find they had a treasure chest if they published theguest book. Mon Mar 31 10:03:30 2008

GwynYvonne Williams: William Pritchard was my grandfather, Ihave a newspaper photograph of the school in 1951-52which you might appear in. Or you may have some storiesthat would be of interest to me.Wed Jan 23 08:56:48 2008

William Ramp from Lethbridge, Alberta, CanadaSir Michael Duff's first wife was the Hon. Joan MillicentMarjoribanks, a daughter of Lord Tweedmouth. I believe shekept the surname Assheton-Smith after her divorce. Ifanyone knows anything of her subsequent history, I wouldbe most interested to hear of it. She appears to have beenan acquaintance of the Canadian photographer, Roloff Beny,and correspondence I have indicates that she had someinterest in art-collecting as early as 1935.Tue Jun 19 09:53:23 2007

alwyn parry wellington new zealandI had to smile at Llinos's comments about Charles Duff's"sometimes painful childhood". I bet he doesn't recalllistening under the grey blankets to the quarrymen as theytrudged through the snow before light on the way to thequarry to chisel the slate with a cold steel and hammer fromstreets like William Street with the leather works at one endand the capel and the sales yards at the other, where anallotment was the answer to food shortages.Years later I was fortunate enough to stand by a largeornate 30 foot high Italian fountain on the estate and lookacross the fields terraced by oak trees to the distantquarries - the estate had been bought by an old schoolfriend, a Cofi - I was a very happy boyo - and I think Iheard a little chuckle from heaven.Thu Jun 14 09:53:25 2007

C.Yvonne Williams NantwichYes I remember Vaynol Park very well indeed.I was born &brought up in Penrhosgarnedd - my father being Counc. R.OJones. I went to the old Vaynol School, Headmaster MrWilliam Pritchard.My parents were great friends with Edward& Eva Howes, who lived within the estate - Edward Howeswas Sir Michael's valet.We spent a great deal of time withthem at their home & especially with their son Bobby(Robert Edward James), who also attended Vaynol school. Iremember clearly too all those who then worked on the

estate & who have been mentioned in the various extractshere. Fri Jun 1 09:17:01 2007

Julie Staton - South YorkshireDoes anyone have any recollections of Rose Foster, HeadCook at Vaynol during the mid to late 50s. Rose was mygreat aunt and she died at the Hall.Tue Jan 2 10:09:35 2007

Mitchell Owens from New YorkFor reasons of inheritance, Sir Michael Duff took thesurname Duff-Assheton-Smith in 1928, only to give it up inthe 1945. His first wife was therefore, for the period of theirmarriage, Lady Duff-Assheton-Smith.Tue Sep 19 13:45:03 2006

Charles Crail,Santa Barbara, Calif.Does any one know Sir Michael Duff's first wife's name? Wasis Lady Duff- Assheton- Smith?Mon Aug 14 10:23:24 2006

Ian Palferman, Colwyn Bay.I can remember delivering fruit and vegetables to Vaynolfrom my parents shop at 220 High Street, and to be greetedby George (his surname I can't remember) the chauffeur toSir and Lady Duff, who drove them around in a Jaguar Car,Reg No ECC 909, which I recently saw on show on thePromenade at Llandudno, still looking splendid. Those werethe days.Wed Jul 12 10:43:28 2006

Richard Harlan-Blond from U.S.A.Sir Michael Duff and the Honourable James Smith were myGodfathers and I spent many interestintg times at Vaynol.There were many dicussions about Caroline and "the son"who was not Sir Michaels. Have many pictures of thatperiod. I used to go for long solitary walks with Saffron,Micheal's dog. Richard Harlan-BlondTue Jun 20 09:57:00 2006

Ron Pike, LiverpoolUp to its closure as a residence, my wife Sylvia and I visitedVaynol, first in 1955 staying with Anne Goodman and hersister Vera. In all, we have been there every year for 50years with our children and grandchildren. We still call everyyear and notice the changes and how it has gone to ruin. Ienjoyed the programme so much, but being in Liverpool atthe time the reception was very poor. I have lots of video ofwhen it was in its prime. Is it possible to obtain a copy ofthe programme? Thank you for what you recorded. Youshowed all its good points.Sat Jul 30 15:47:39 2005


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Back togetherFormer Vaynol Estate staffwere reunited with CharlesDuff during the making of aBBC Wales programme. Theyshare some of their memories.

Sisters Ann Goodman and Vera Rankin fromPenrhosgarnedd, Bangor, remember life in the kitchensand gardens.

Ann"I started working here on May 17 1943 and stayed until Iretired in 1979. We came here as part of the Land Army. Welived in Bangor, so we had to catch the seven o'clock busevery morning and walk all the way up the drives to come towork.

I used to work on the farm to start with. I did everything -making hay, picking and planting potatoes, pulling swedes,threshing. Then I was transferred to the gardens. We had amarket garden and grew flowers to make wreaths andwedding bouquets which we sold.

Lady Caroline used to come into the flower room where I wasworking and she and her sister Lady Kitty would come and dothe flowers with us. We always knew when Lady Caroline wascoming along because we could smell her perfume from faraway!

There were 17 gardeners to start with, but the numbers wentdown with the war. There wasn't any pressure for us to leaveafter the war when the men came back - although I was theonly woman to stay on in the gardens.

I remember a lot of the gentry used to come here. DavidHerbert, Cecil Beaton, Princess Margaret, Princess Marina.They used to go to the church on the Sunday and we'd all bestanding round watching them coming out.

I spoke to the Queen Mother once - she was coming up thegardens and I had my sister's baby daughter on my arm. TheQueen Mother came to talk to us and my niece wanted topull her pearls!"

Vera"I worked in the Land Army for 12 months and I hated it. Ihad to pack it in because I got ill. So I went into the bighouse and worked in the kitchen with the cook for 13 years.

It was a very busy house, always someone there to beentertained each weekend. All the gentry used to come - we




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used to watch them coming down the stairs for dinner. Iloved it.

The farm manager lived in the Old Hall and it's a shame it'sgone a bit to ruins. It was beautiful inside. We used to goand stay there with Ceinwen the dairymaid when there was adance on to save us walking home.

We had dances here for the staff in the ballroom and we'ddance until two or three in the morning. The gentry wouldcome over at Christmas and New Year and join us for adance. It was very sociable.

I left after 13 years, I had a job as a helper in the school. SirMichael [Duff] came to me and said 'You're not leaving Vera,are you? And going to the school?'

'Yes I am, Sir Michael, I'll get more money.'

It made no difference though - he was still lovely. He waslovely to work for, him and Lady Caroline.

I live just outside the walls but I haven't been back in foryears. It's sad coming here today because I met my husbandin the gardens here and he's dead now. But I will come backin August for the Eisteddfod."

Ray Williams was a dairymaidand still lives in a cottage onthe estate.

"I was a dairymaid for 25years. I lived in the old hall. Iwas there all on my own for12 months - and there was aghost! It was because the old

farm manager left and it was a year before the newmanager, Mr Gladstone, came with his family.

They were happy days. I wouldn't have stayed for 25 yearsotherwise. I loved it. I was brought up on a farm on the LlynPeninsula, in Llangwnadl, and I always wanted to work withanimals."

She still sees others like Vera and Ann, but hadn't seenCharles Duff for a few years until the reunion. "He's neverchanged. He was ten years old when I came here and he wasfull of beans."

Sardinia: Cymry yn'ddiogel'

Pontio: Dim prifweithredwr


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Reunion viewsLast updated: 28 December 2007

View our photos from the Vaynol reunion arranged by theteam behind a new TV programme on the estate and itssecrets.

Charles Duff and former Vaynol staff outside the hall at

their reunion.

1 2 3 4 5

Read the staff's memories.

your comments

Mrs J Downes, Kelsall, CheshireI have been looking up my family history and havecome across many old photo postcards along withsome letters from & of Vaynol Hall. These are from mydad's aunty, Winifred Roberts (also known as WinnieRoberts) from Coedpoeth, Wrexham. I was wodering ifshe worked at Vaynol Hall.Tue Apr 14 09:38:02 2009

Andre Vaynol, Hermanus, South AfricaI have just noticed your web site. I want to know whathappened to the Vaynol Family. As a decendant of myfather Phillip John Vaynol and the only son - am I thelast Vaynol left in the world? Thu Nov 23 09:12:02 2006

Greg Randall from USI wonder if anyone could tell me the origin of mysurname. Is it Welsh? Any information would beappreciated. Thank youMon Apr 10 08:35:51 2006




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Martin Chapman, San FranciscoLike many lucky people I used to stay at Vaynol oftenin the late 1970s. It was a magical world with thehouse beautifully run by housemaids Dilys and Megan,and Ken the butler and Mrs Roberts the cook. SirMichael was a wonderful and most generous host. Heentertained his guests with an endless series ofhilarious stories and running jokes. Many were aboutQueen Mary, members of the royal family, and societyfigures of the 1930s who were always rememberedwith great affection. Michael's great friend Cecil Beatonalludes to Michael's abilities as a host and raconteur inhis diaries. Indeed Michael used to maintain that hewas co-host of the famous party at Ashcombe in the1930s, one of the famous gatherings of "the BrightYoung Things". Although there was a great sense offun, with a constant flow of guests at Vaynol, there washowever a certain air of sadness about the house, withhints of past glories and shadowy figures. The park wasa bit run down, with fallen tree limbs. The lakes in frontof the house had been drained and some outbuildings,like the enormous old laundry, were derelict. No onetold me that the white Anglo-Saxon cattle (I think theywere Chillinghams) in the park could be dangerousuntil they threatened me one day as I walked throughthe herd. For rainy days and quiet moments there wasa pile of fascinating photo albums kept in the largedrawing room. They were his mother, Lady JulietDuff's, and chronicled her life as a young woman goingto great house parties before WW1 and her life associety figure in the 1920s and 1930s. They containedpictures of people from royalty to Cole Porter. I hopethey have survived. One of those shadowy figures wasCharles Duff, who Michael never referred to in thoseyears. I only heard of him from gossipy guests whospeculated about his paternity. I hope poor Charles isable to forgive them and his adoptive parents. The lasttime I visited Vaynol was shortly after Sir Michael'sdeath. I accompanied the artist Patrick Procktor tocollect a bust of a Moorish figure that Michael had leftto him. The house had a desolate if not doomed air andthe housemaid Megan seemed rather distraught andtearful to see us again. I had some wonderful times atVaynol and I was fortunate enough to haveexperienced what now seems like a dream. Tue Feb 14 23:54:13 2006

Janet Roberts, nee Croft, DenbighI was glued to the Vaynol programme. I worked in thekitchen for almost two years in 1963/64 with EdnaHughes. Other staff I remember were her sister Dilysand Megan(married to Andrew, lodge keeper), Dorothy,Mr and Mrs Howes, David and Tony Tierney (footmen),Mouschia (Charlie's nanny), Mr and Mrs Randall, Anneand Ray, Mr Henderson (gardener), Will 'sick and tired',and many more whose faces I can see in my mind's eyebut not their names. Oh yes and Fritz the basset hound!It was very hard work, especially when we had houseparties and shoots when Edna and I would be on ourfeet from 6am till 11pm. I earned £2 a week. The walk

up the mile- long drive in the dark TERRIFIED me withanimal noises etc. I look back on those days full ofnostalgia and although I worked hard for a 17 year old,I feel proud when ever I tell people I used to work atVaynol and cooked for the Queen!Thank you for awonderful programme Charlie. Mon Aug 8 10:53:09 2005

Bob Thompson, Connah's QuayI watched the programme on BBC2 Wales with interestas I currently own the last Jaguar car owned by SirMichael Duff. I wonder if Mr Charles Duff remembersthe car and who rode in it, driven by Mr GeorgeRandall.Tue Aug 2 11:49:41 2005

Jan Tully, MonmouthMy grandfather, Edward Howes, was Sir Michael'sbutler at Vaynol Park and as I sat and watched theBBC2 Wales programme I caught a glimpse of himholding a car door for the Queen Mum. My Dad lives inScarborough and has lots of memories of his childhoodthere - we used to go there for our summer holidaysand stay with Nanna and Grandpop, both of whomworked in the "big house".Tue Aug 2 11:47:24 2005


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A portrait photograph of Lady Caroline still sits on one of

the bookshelves.

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Browsing through an old album.

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The ornate hallway leading from the main entrance of

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Reliving old times.

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