History of Insole Court

Insole Court is a Victorian / Edwardian mansion in Llandaff, the home of the Insole family from 1858 until the mid 1930s. The house was originally built in 1856-57 for James Harvey Insole (1821-1901), the son of George Insole (1790-1851) who founded the family coal and shipping business. Then called Ely Court, it was a "typical double gabled mid-Victorian house". There was subsequently a series of additions and alterations. In 1873 James Insole initiated major rebuilding in the Gothic Revival style and in 1877 a north wing was added in Swiss style, along with decorative stonework and interior alterations influenced by the work of William Burges at Cardiff Castle for the Marquis of Bute. James Insole also acquired farmland around Ely Court in 1883 and converted it to open parkland. In 1898 two towers were added to the north wing. Between 1906 and 1909 extensive reconstruction was carried out for James' son Fred (George Frederick Insole 1847-1917). An east wing was built and a castellated turret added on the north wing, as well as interior alterations in the English Renaissance Revival style.[1] This removed much of the work carried out in the 1870s in the style of Burges.[2]

Ordnance Survey maps between 1880 and 1920 show that there were two lodges, one at the northerly entrance from Fairwater Road, and the other at the south end of the estate, on Ely Road.

Postcards of Insole Court are rare, as it came into public ownership well after the peak of postcard production. This card on the Parks & Gardens UK website shows the house before the alterations begun in 1906.

In 1931 the Cardiff Council served a compulsory purchase order on part of the Insole estate in order to construct Western Avenue, and the family exercised its legal right to require the Council to purchase the entire property. The purchase was completed in February 1932, the terms allowing the Insoles to remain in occupation for two years at a nominal rent. In 1933 the Council's Lands Committee agreed to let the house to the Insoles on a yearly tenancy at a rental of £262. At the same meeting the Committee decided that the estate
be laid out for building and tenders be invited for the construction of roads and laying of sewers.[3] Subsequently the surrounding parkland, including the site of the southerly lodge, was developed into a housing estate.[4]

The name Insole Court was adopted once the house was in Council ownership, and it was routinely used in Council minutes. The Council had no plans for the future use of the house (as opposed to the rest of the estate)[5] and did not take possession until the Insoles left in 1938, by which time preparations for the 1939-45 war were underway. Insole Court was put to a number of wartime uses.

Immediately after the war there were a number of proposals for use of the house and in 1947 the name Llandaff Court was formally adopted. The Parks Committee decided "that the Council be recommended to approve that in future "The Court", Llandaff (formerly known as Ely Court, Insole Court and The Court) be henceforth named as Llandaff Court."[6]

In 1946 it was agreed that the Parks Committee would assume responsibility for the grounds.[7] The Parks Committee was also allocated space in the house for administration functions and living accommodation for the Deputy Director of Parks.[8] Part of the house was converted for use as a Recreation Centre, which was formally opened, along with the Court Gardens, on 16th January 1947.[9] A layout for Llandaff Court as an open space was approved in October 1949.[10]

From the 1950s onwards the grounds were used for events organised by local groups, such as a garden party held by the Llandaff Citizens Association in June 1956.[11] By the 1960s in the stable yard area (outside the present-day Visitor Centre) there was a wooden hall for use by the Llandaff Citizens Association and also for weddings and other events. Uses for the house included accommodation for local authority staff. The top and middle floors were converted into seven flats, one of which was occupied by the caretaker, Mrs Powell.[12] On the ground floor was a public library (Llandaff Court Branch) which closed in the 1970s.[13][14] Later the house served as an education, arts and music centre. For example, Insole Court was one of several venues for the Cardiff Festival of Music advertised in September/October 1994.[15]

During the 1970s and 1980s, owing to local government reorganisation, the mansion was owned by South Glamorgan County Council while the surrounding parkland was owned by Cardiff City Council. By 1987 the building was said to be "structurally in a very poor state of repair" and in need of repairs costing approximately £660,000. Agreement was reached between the two Councils such that South Glamorgan conveyed ownership of the house to the City of Cardiff, along with a contribution to the cost of repairs, and the house would continue to be used for community-orientated purposes.[16]

In 1982 it was reported that the Fairwater Road lodge had been empty for over a year and needed expenditure in the region of £10,000 to address serious dampness and structural problems. There was no provision for this expenditure and the building was not required operationally. The Leisure and Amenities Committee agreed that the lodge be sold subject to covenants providing for its maintenance and preventing its demolition.[17] The Committee agreed in July 1983 to accept £36,500 for the lodge and £31,250 for additional ground as a building plot.[18] The lodge was advertised for sale in 1993, described as "restored, detached, modernised and extended" with an asking price of £235,000.[19]

The present day house is run by the Insole Court Trust, and the Council parks department maintains the grounds. The various gardens of Insole Court contain a variety of ornamental trees and shrubs and were at one time notable for a fine collection of alpine and rock plants. Violet Insole (1883-1932), daughter of Fred, was a noted horticulturalist and created a rock garden and an iris garden at Ely Court.

Sources of Information

  1. Details of the development of the house and estate from Richard Watson. Rhondda Coal, Cardiff Gold : The Insoles of Llandaff, Coal Owners and Shippers. Merton Priory Press, 1997, pages 57, 89, 91, 96, 115 and 147.
  2. British Listed Buildings: Insole Court A Grade II* Listed Building in Llandaff, Cardiff
  3. Meeting of the Lands Committee 28th March 1933
  4. Richard Watson. Rhondda Coal, Cardiff Gold : The Insoles of Llandaff, Coal Owners and Shippers. Merton Priory Press, 1997, pages 166-7
  5. Western Mail & South Wales NewsWednesday 23rd December 1931 page 9, Insole Estate future
  6. Special Meeting of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 16th January 1947
  7. Meeting of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 12th March 1946
  8. Meetings of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 4th June 1946 & 9th July 1946
  9. Special Meeting of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 16th January 1947
  10. Meeting of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 11th October 1949
  11. Meeting of the Parks, Baths and Cemeteries Committee 12th April 1956
  12. Personal communication (JB)
  13. Personal communication (JB)
  14. Insole Court: National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW)
  15. The Stage and Television Today September 1st 1994 page 38
  16. Meeting of the Leisure and Amenities Committee 5th January 1987
  17. Meeting of the Leisure and Amenities Committee 4th January 1982
  18. Meeting of the Leisure and Amenities Committee 4th July 1983
  19. Western Mail Mail Property Mail 14th August 1993