History
Small country house rebuilt c. 1830 on site of a house by John Nash of 1791 built as a hunting seat for Barrington Price Esq, who renamed the site Temple Druid (previously Bwlch-y-clawdd) because of a large cromlech above the site, which he destroyed to build the farmyard. Fenton says that there were three further owners after Price before 1811, the second a hunting man like Price, then a naval officer, then the current one, newly arrived in 1811, retired from India. The original was built c. 1790 . When sold in 1824 it was described as built 'only thirty years back by the celebrated architect Nash'.
When offered for sale in 1805 it had domestic offices, coach-houses, stabling, gardens and eligible farm with complete farmhouse and every necessary outbuilding.
In 1821 the estate was offered for sale, but it failed to sell, and in 1824 the house was sold to be demolished for the materials. The detailed sale particulars make it clear that the house was much larger than the present. It had a centre hall and stone stair branching each side to the landings, two principal rooms 27' x 18' and 27' x 19', a breakfast parlour and gentleman's dressing-room, all with marble fireplaces, mahogany doors and sashes etc. There were 8 bedrooms with 3 dressing-rooms and six attic rooms. Within a month only one wing, the offices and stone staircase remained unsold.
It seems to have been bought about this time by the Barhams of Trecwn. The present house was built on the site, possibly out of a remaining part. This was offered to let in 1832 as having been in the occupation of the Rev. Lewis Davies. It then had two halls, a parlour, cellar, kitchen and 4 bedrooms. Offered to let again in 1839, rented then to Rev J. Davies. Occupied by John Nicholas, manager of the Temple Druid slate quarry in the 1870s. The house was for sale with the quarry at various times 1874-89. The quarry was idle from 1889, reopened for a short period 1919-21. A waterwheel from the quarry at one time provided electric light for the house. The house was sold in 1989. Since then the front has been restored and the rear kitchen wing rebuilt. The rear wall remains shored up (2004).
Bwlch-y-clawdd had been a gentry seat, recorded from the C15, assessed at four hearths 1670 when owned by Lewis William, his heirs the Lewis family there until the 1790s, Thomas Lewis 1786.