The Laser Scanning of Old College, Aberystwyth

An early photograph c. 1870 of Old College, Aberystwyth, then incorporating Castle House.  It was the first explicitly Picturesque house in Britain.  DI2011_0299    NPRN:23303

The Royal Commission is currently working with staff from the Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University, on the laser scanning of heritage sites.  Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship student (KESS), Marek Ososinski from the University, is working with Commission Investigators, Sue Fielding and Louise Barker, on a process for capturing and processing 3D laser-scan data of a range of historic buildings and archaeological sites, including the use of robotic vehicles to investigate the possibilities of autonomous surveys.

On 14 November, the team, including project supervisors Dr Fred Labrosse and Dr Mark Neal, spent the morning scanning the interior of the Old Quad of Aberystwyth University’s Old College building (nprn: 23303 ).  Most remarkably, the origins of the Old College lie in Castle House, a marine villa designed by John Nash in 1794 for Uvedale Price, one of the founders of the Picturesque movement.  The villa was adapted and enlarged by John Seddon in 1864 as the Castle Hotel for the entrepreneur Thomas Savin to take advantage of the newly completed railway to Aberystwyth.  But after Savin’s bankruptcy, the unfinished hotel was bought by the newly-founded University College in the early 1870s and converted in various stages, but was badly damaged by a serious fire in 1885.  Castle House villa was subsequently demolished and replaced in 1894 by a new central block, designed in the Queen Anne style by C.J. Ferguson.  The interior of the Old Quad is full of rich architectural detail, including intricately carved stone capitals, stained glass windows, and wooden bosses to the barrel roof, making it ideal as a test for recording through laser scanning.

The project will run for three years, and the scan data from all surveys will be archived in the National Monuments Record of Wales and made accessible to the public.




CASTLE HOUSE HOTEL;OLD COLLEGE,
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES, ABERYSTWYTH 

• Old College, Aberystwyth Site Details
• Associated Sites (6)
• Online Images (16)
• Associated Collection Records (110)

Photosynth: Aberystwyth Old College


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A Good Day in Pembrokeshire!

Target Tank at Castlemartin
NPRN 407853

The Royal Commission was extremely well received at the Pembrokeshire Archaeology day last Saturday, 19 November. The day was jointly organised by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Planed and was most enthusiastically supported by over 200 members of the public. The day involved five main lectures and talks, a delicious buffet- lunch and fifteen well set out stalls and exhibitions to browse. During the afternoon, Royal Commission military expert Medwyn Parry gave a highly entertaining and informative lecture on Military Remains in Pembrokeshire & Beyond which was well received by all. Indeed Medwyn’s lecture was later praised as being “amazing” and “entrancing” by Mrs Anne Eastham, the Chair of the day’s proceedings, in her summary of the day’s events. Moreover, such was the popularity for the event beforehand, all places were fully booked at least seven days ahead. So please note next year’s event, which is proposed to be held on the 17 November 2012, is definitely a date to be noted in your diary today!

CASTLEMARTIN TRAINING AREA; CASTLEMARTIN RANGE

• Site Details
• Associated Collection Records (1)

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Apêl Plant mewn Angen y BBC

Pudsey’n archwilio’r pobiad cyntaf o deisennau a bisgedi yn syth ar ôl iddyn nhw ddod o’r ffwrn.

Roedd staff ac ymwelwyr yn y Comisiwn Brenhinol yn dangos eu smotiau ddydd Gwener i godi arian i apêl Plant mewn Angen y BBC. Cynigiwyd teisennau bach a bisgedi yn gyfnewid am roddion a chodwyd dros £50 mewn llai nag awr! Diolch i bawb a gyfrannodd at yr achos!

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BBC Children in Need Appeal

Pudsey inspects the first batch of cakes and cookies, fresh from the oven.

Staff and visitors at the Royal Commission were showing their spots on Friday to raise money for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal. Cupcakes and cookies were offered in return for donations, raising more than £50 in just under an hour! Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause!

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Cyfeillion y Comisiwn Brenhinol

Ymuno â Chyfeillion y Comisiwn Brenhinol

Mae gan y Comisiwn Brenhinol lu o gyfeillion a phobl sy’n dymuno’n dda iddo.  Bob blwyddyn, bydd dros 10,000 o bobl yn mwynhau’n harddangosfeydd a chawn amryw byd o ymholiadau a llu o ymwelwyr â’n llyfrgell a’n hystafell chwilio.  Yn aml, bydd ymholiad syml yn esgor ar gyswllt gydol oes â’r Comisiwn.  Mae’r tair cyfres o Hidden Histories wedi dod â llu o ddefnyddwyr newydd aton ni’n ddiweddar.  Bydd dros 100,000 o bobl yn ymweld â’n cronfa ddata ar-lein Coflein bob blwyddyn.

Bellach, crisialwyd rhwydwaith anffurfiol o gyfeillion yn drefniant mwy ffurfiol o Gyfeillion.  Mae ymuno â Chyfeillion y Comisiwn Brenhinol yn syml ac yn rhad ac am ddim a chewch chi amryw byd o fanteision.  Cofrestrwch eich manylion gyda ni i ymaelodi â’n rhwydwaith o Gyfeillion.  Ymhlith y llu manteision a gewch chi o ymaelodi bydd cael newyddlenni rheolaidd i roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i chi am ein holl brosiectau a derbyniadau cyfredol, disgowntiau ar bob un o’n cyhoeddiadau, a fforwm blynyddol i Gyfeillion yn unig a fydd yn cynnwys siaradwyr nodedig, ynghyd â chyfleoedd i wirfoddoli yn y Comisiwn.  I ymuno â ni, cliciwch ar y cyswllt isod a chofrestrwch eich manylion heddiw!

Ymuno â Chyfeillion y Comisiwn Brenhinol

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The Friends of the Royal Commission

Joining the Friends of the Royal Commission

The Royal Commission has many friends and well-wishers. Over 10,000 people every year enjoy our exhibitions, and we have numerous enquiries and many visitors to our library and search room. Often a simple enquiry will lead to a life-times involvement with the Commission. The recent three series of Hidden Histories have brought us many new users. Over 100,000 people visit Coflein our on-line data-base every year.

An informal network of friends has now crystallised into the current, more formal Friend’s organisation. Joining the Friends of the Royal Commission is both simple and free and the benefits are numerous. Simply register your details with us to secure your memberships to our Friends network. The benefits of joining are many ― regular newsletters keeping you updated with all our current projects and accessions, discounts on all our publications, and an exclusive annual Friend’s forum with keynote speakers as well as, volunteering opportunities at the Commission. To join us, simply click the link below and register your details today!

Joining the Friends of the Royal Commission

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Diwrnod Archaeoleg Sir Benfro

Dydd Sadwrn 19 Tachwedd, 2011 bydd staff y Comisiwn Brenhinol yn mynychu Diwrnod Archaeoleg Sir Benfro a drefnwyd gan Barc Cenedlaethol Arfordir Penfro. Cynhelir y digwyddiad yn Theatr Myrddin, Coleg Sir Benfro, Pont Myrddin, Hwlffordd, 9.30 am - 4 o’r gloch. Bydd nifer o siaradwyr gwadd yno ac arddangosiadau. Dewch i weld arddangosfa'r Comisiwn i dderbyn gostyngiad o 10% oddi ar bris ein cyhoeddiadau cyfredol. Am wybodaeth bellach, ffoniwch 01437 720392 (Oriel y Parc, Tyddewi).

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Pembrokeshire Archaeology Day

On Saturday 19 November, 2011 Royal Commission staff will be attending the Pembrokeshire Archaeology Day organised by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. The event will be held at Merlin Theatre, Pembrokeshire College, Merlin’s Bridge, Haverfordwest, 9.30 am - 4.00 pm, and will feature a number of guest speakers and displays. Visit the Royal Commission display to receive 10% off the cost of our current publications. For further details, please telephone: 01437 720392 (Oriel y Parc, St. Davids).

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Wi-Fi Yn Awr Ar Gael I Bob Ymwelydd

O ddechrau’r wythnos hon, ac fel gwelliant pellach i’n gwasanaethau i’r cyhoedd, gall pawb sydd o hyn ymlaen yn dod i’r Llyfrgell yn swyddfeydd y Comisiwn Brenhinol ym Mhlas Crug yn Aberystwyth fanteisio ar wasanaeth, sydd newydd ei osod, i gysylltu’n ddiwifr â’r we. Manylion ar gael gan staff y Llyfrgell, a bydd y gwasanaeth ar gael i bawb yn rhad ac am ddim.

Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru,
Y Llyfrgell a'r Gwasanaeth Ymholiadau,
Plas Crug,
Aberystwyth,
SY23 1NJ.
Ffôn: +44(0)1970 621200
Ffacs: +44(0)1970 627701
chc.cymru@cbhc.gov.uk
neu defnyddiwch y Ffurflen Ymholi


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