In this video we join Miss Willoughby as she demonstrates how to ride side saddle the Victorian way.
She explains the difference between saddles for a man and a woman.
Duration/Time: 2:45
In this video we join Edgar Ashman, the under gardener and learn how to harvest apples the Victorian way.
He explains how to pick them and how to store them correctly.
Duration/Time: 10:51
Kinmel Hall became empty in 1999 and was eventually placed up for auction in 2001. The successful buyer planned to turn it into a luxury hotel but these plans never happened. It was again sold at auction in 2011 and remained empty for the longest period in its history.
Two decades of neglect resulted in decay and damage to the roof and guttering. This allowed water ingress and damp to the walls, causing the immense damage to interior walls and ceilings.
After the fire of 1975, Kinmel Hall was purchased by Major Fetherstonhaugh who was a descendent of the Hughes family. It remained derelict until an inspired visionary emerged.
Eddy Vince was an Evangelist Church Minister with a passion for old buildings. He carved out a business by restoring them to become Christian Conference and Youth Training Centres.
Clarendon School was founded in 1898 in Malvern by Miss Amy Flint and her two sisters in a house called Clarendon. The school began with just six pupils.
In 1917 they were joined by Miss E G R Swain. When Miss Flint and her sisters retired in 1930, Miss Swain borrowed the money and became the new owner and headmistress of Clarendon School with 48 pupils and 8 staff.
There is not a lot of information about the short period of time Kinmel Hall spent as a Hotel and Osteopathic Clinic. What is known is Dr and Mrs Lindley received the keys back to Kinmel Hall from the military in March 1946 but decided against reopening the Rheuma Spa.
The Kinmel Park Military Training camp was built in 1914 in the grounds of Kinmel Hall as a basic training facility. It took over a substantial area of parkland, and had its own branch railway line connecting to the main line at Foryd Station in Rhyl.
It contained a number of stores, a Post Office, a bakery, a cinema, and a number of churches. and included areas set aside for bayonet practice and trench fighting. A series of trenches were built both at Kinmel Park and in nearby Bodelwyddan Park.
The closure of Kinmel School for boys in 1934 left Kinmel Hall empty. But Mrs Lindley, the owner and Principal of Lowther College School for Girls which was another school in nearby Bodelwyddan Castle wanted to retire with her husband Dr Linley (a Doctor of Music). She sold Lowther College and purchased Kinmel Hall in 1935.
Kinmel School for Boys opened on September 24th, 1929 with 43 boys and 7 teaching staff. It was advertised as having fees lower than generally charged with top quality education and food.
It provided a 5 year course which enabled boys aged 14-19 to proceed directly to commercial, industrial or agricultural posts as well as preparing them for entry into universities.
