First appearing in the history books of 1485, Derwydd Mansion definitely has the lineage of a distinguished country home. Once owned by Tudor Knight Sir Rhys ap Thomas, Derwydd was said to have sheltered Henry Tudor on his way to Bosworth.
1640 When he landed at Milford Haven to claim the crown from Richard III and end the War of the Roses, he was entertained at Derwydd and supplied with 5,000 Welsh soldiers who marched with him to victory at the Battle of Bosworth. The connection is commemorated in a sculpture of a shield in the King's Room.
1670 The original Tudor mansion, situated near Ammanford, was in 1670 described as a house of 18 hearths, making it one of the largest in the county of Carmarthenshire.
1886 The house passed, again by marriage, to Sir Thomas Stepney of Llanelli in the early 18th Century, and then in the mid 18th Century to Joseph Gulston and hence to Stepney Gulston.
The White Lady The tale of the White Lady, or Gwen Vaughan as she is formally known, has been passed down from generation to generation. It is said that before the death of the head of the family, the ghost of the White Lady appears by the window in the room of Sir Rhys ap Thomas. Tradition has it that she only appears to unmarried men.
1999 Following Sotheby's on-site sale of the historic contents of Derwydd Mansion in 1998, the estate was sold to a local businessman in 1999 because Joy Stepney-Gulston - the widowed owner, had no heir to the estate.
2016
Since the purchase of the Derwydd Estate by the current owners in 2013, Derwydd is quickly returning to its former glory. The family run estate is opening up its gates for special occasions and events so that you too can enjoy the history and character of this fascinating venue.
