Cylchgronau Cymru

was to be built of stone, with quoins of best buff pressed bricks by J. C. Edwards of Ruabon. The new Gardener's Cottage at the north comer extend- ed a pre-existing cottage, built onto the kitchen-garden wall. Morgan's bill, at 3% of the estimate of £ 1,350, was £ 39. Six builders tendered for the work, Morgan of Towyn, Evans of Aberystwyth, Rees & David Williams of Llanilar, E. Davies of Newtown, Evans & Hopkins, and Daniel & John Jones. Their prices ranged from £ 1,349 15s. to £ 2,420. Doubtless vigorous negotiations followed with those offering the lowest tender. On 30 April 1891, Mrs Davies signed a contract with father and son Rees and David Williams, of Ochorgader, Llanilar to build the stables according to specifi- cation for £ 1,360. Eynon Bowen was to be the supervising architect, and the entire building was to be complete in 10 months, by 28 February 1892. Thereafter a penalty charge of £ 5 per week would be incurred. At about this time David Williams met with an serious accident, falling sixteen feet to the ground from a scaffolding plank whilst pointing a gable end of the new vil- las in Brynymor Road, Aberystwyth. He broke both arms and dislocated his thigh.39 Possibly in view of this a further agreement set the start date for Rees and David Williams to haul stones for Tan-y-bwlch Stables on 11 May 1891, with foundations set on or before 1 July and completion within ten months. Eynon Bowen recorded that turf was cut at the stables on 26 May. The stone came from Vaughan Davies's quarry at Penygraig, Llanfarian. The quality of this stone was soon the subject of debate. David Williams consid- ered it inadequate for the large stones necessary for the quoins and proposed obtaining stone from their own quarry at Llanddewibrefi. Vaughan Davies objected to the extra cost, and instructed Bowen not to allow this. Shannon was soon to take over the management of the contract, and in July protested at Vaughan Davies's interference with the stable contractors. Well within schedule, despite their difficulties and some late alterations to the specifica- tions,40 Rees and David Williams announced the completion of the building on 25 July and asked to settle the bill. On 18 August 1892 Shannon certified that the contract had been completed and the property handed over. A final sum of £ 85 was due provided no defects arose during the next three months. However, 1892 saw increasingly troubled correspondence between David Williams and Vaughan Davies. Initially David Williams appealed via Shannon to the higher instincts of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan Davies, writing on 20 June 1892: we have lost £ 70 on the stables and worked himself for nothing for twelve months but I cannot blame nobody for that, only Father