1. Glandyfi Castle is an early-nineteenth-century castle-house in the irregular picturesque style popularised by John Nash. The castle-house is built on an enscarpment (now wooded, but originally treeless) with impressive views across the Dyfi estuary. A major ragged joint on the east elevation indicates a staggered building history. The house was certainly habitable by 1818 when George Jeffreys was apparently resident (according to the listing), and he was high-sheriff a year later. Like many castle-houses it was commissioned by a family with industrial interests; theJeffreys had an interest in the Garreg lead-smelting works. On stylistic grounds Glandyfi Castle has been plausibly attributed to J. H. Haycock of Shrewsbury (The Buildings of Wales: Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire, p. 471 ). A detailed description of the exterior is available in Cadw's list description. The principal architectural feature internally is a thoroughgoing branching Gothic stair with trefoiled decoration.

Glandyfi castle has a conventional country-house plan with principal rooms, service wing, and kitchen courtyard in sequence from South-North. There are terraced gardens and a walled garden to the East and South-East (NPRN 302095). The Home Farm stands at some distance from Glandyfi Castle at the end of the track that passes in front of the house.

RCAHMW, January 2011
 

2. George and Justina Jeffreys set about building Glandyfi Castle following their marriage at Tywyn in 1814, and they lived at the house until their deaths in 1868 and 1869 respectively. The location, overlooking the Dyfi estuary from the toll road from Aberystwyth to Machynlleth, may have been influenced by 'Justina's attachment to Tywyn and Aberdyfi, and of the fashionable ideas about the Picturesque so interesting to her friend Thomas Love Peacock. When Peacock married Jane Gryffydh in 1820 his bride took up residence in Glandyfi Castle, and he also dined at the castle on a number of occasions in the next eleven years.'

Source: Bywgraffiadur entry for Justina Jeffreys

M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 2 October 2024