1100 Medieval Origins: The lordship was originally granted to the Walsche family by the Norman conqueror Robert Fitzhamon. c.1500–1530 – Great House ("Ty Mawr") Farm House was built for Sir Mathew Cradock (died 1531), next to St St Dochdwy's Church, Llandough. [CORRECTED: The earlier date of 1215 was incorrect; British Listed Buildings and RCAHMW sources date the house to the early 16th century. The 1215-1539 ecclesiastical ownership period refers to Tewkesbury Abbey's lordship, not the farmhouse construction.] 1215-1539 - Owned by Tewkesbury Abbey / Prior of Cardiff (Ecclesiastical Title) 1444, The Herbert Connection: The manor and lordship of Llandough (and St Mary Church) passed into the hands of the Herbert family of Raglan (associated with the later Earls of Pembroke). 1536, Sir Edward Carne (a lawyer and diplomat) purchased it from the 2nd Earl of Worcester (a descendant of the Herberts through marriage). 1539-43 - The Crown (Henry VIII) (Confiscated during the Dissolution) 1543-1770 - After the Dissolution, the manor of Llandough passed through Crown grants to lay owners; by the later 16th century it formed part of the Herbert/Pembroke orbit, and was later absorbed into what became the Bute estate. This matches the Bute Estate Records description (many Glamorgan manors, including Llandough, in Bute hands by 18–19th c.), but emphasis on the fact we're not over‑specifying Cradock as a proven link. 1552–1829 - The Bute/Pembroke estate was treating itself as the superior landholder/manorial lord, and the people on those farms were tenants or lessees, not the estate owners. “Llandough manorial leases and agreements” series, explicitly identified as Bute estate material and covers 1552–1829. in that period, the Bute/Pembroke estate was granting leases of Llandough Farm (about 166 acres). Bute/Pembroke estate treated itself as superior landholder/manorial lord; ‘Llandough manorial leases and agreements’ (NLW D 219, Bute Estate Records) show leases of Llandough Farm (c. 166a) and other Llandough holdings. 1667 – Williams family in occupation (family claim of acquisition) From at least 1667 the Williams family are recorded in local memory and later press reports as occupying Great House Farm. A 1980s newspaper article quoted Mrs Mary Williams saying the farm was “acquired” by the Williams at that time, which she understood as a purchase rather than a tenancy. There is no surviving registered title from the 17th century, so this is evidence of long‑term possession and a family belief in ownership, not a proved freehold deed. Estate and manorial records (Bute/Pembroke leases for Llandough Farm in the D 219 “Llandough manorial leases and agreements” series) show that, in law, the Herbert/Pembroke/Bute estate continued to treat itself as manorial lord and superior owner through at least 1829. At this time (1667), the records fall within the wider Herbert/Pembroke estate orbit, including associated families such as those of Cogan Pill (correspondence 1588–1719), though no specific Herbert individual is directly tied to Great House Farm in that year. 1667 National Library of Wales (NLW D 219) categorizes these records strictly as "Manorial Leases." the 1667 aquisition, if formally recorded, would most likely appear in manorial or estate records (such as Bute estate papers), though it is not identified in indexed catalogue entries. The core of the legal mystery lies in how the transfer was recorded: Estate Perception: The Bute Estate Records (Series D 219) treat the family as part of a continuous sequence of manorial leases. Williams Perception: The 1667 transaction likely involved a "lease for lives" (often three generations) or copyhold of inheritance. These were "hereditary" in practice, passing from father to son, which supports your claim of 300+ years of continuous family standing. The "Erasure": Because the Court Baron records were the private property of the Lord (the Bute family), they could "re-characterize" an ancient hereditary tenure as a simple revocable lease when the manorial system was being dismantled in the 19th and 20th centuries. A "Court House" was where the Lord's steward held the manor courts. If your family occupied the Court House, they were likely acting as Stewards or Hereditary Bailiffs for the Herberts—a "gentry standing" that is significantly higher than a standard tenant farmer If a 1667 conveyance could be proved from estate archives, it would shift the legal framing from mere occupation to ownership; at present, that remains a key point for further research rather than an established fact. If the Williams family occupied what was described as a “Court House,” this may indicate a building with manorial or administrative associations, but no direct evidence currently confirms a steward or hereditary office role. In the 17th century, a fee farm grant or a 999-year lease was often perceived and treated by the family as a "purchase" (absolute ownership), while the superior Lord (Herbert/Bute) maintained it as a "lease" in their ledger to preserve manorial rights. If the 1667 deed was a conveyance of the Equitable Title, the Bute records would still show the "Superior Title" (the Lordship), effectively creating two parallel "truths." In 1667, a Williams ancestor would not "buy" the land in the modern freehold sense; instead, they would be "admitted" to the tenure in the Court Baron. If the family paid a large "fine" (entry fee), this was often remembered in family lore as a "purchase" of the property. 1677 The wider estate interests later became associated with families such as the Talbots (Penrice and Margam), though the exact chain for Great House Farm itself is not fully evidenced here. Manorial Court Rolls (Sub-fonds M) and the 1667 Williams acquisition reveals a stark conflict between family oral tradition and the formal "superior" records maintained by the Herbert and Bute estates. 1766: Part of the Earl of Plymouth’s estates (DPL/1). Ref claim that land was improperly transferred or that they held an equitable interest that was ignored, these documents map out exactly who owned the "legal title" versus who was working the land. The connection to Mr. David Thomas (the paternal grandfather) suggests the Bucklers may have entered the property through family inheritance or marriage. Vital for tracing the lineage of the claim. 1770-85 - Valentine Morris (Part of the Piercefield/Glamorgan estate interests) c. 1770–1820 – Estate‑level transfers (Morris, Sir Mark Wood, Bute) In this period, the wider Llandough and Glamorgan estate that included Great House Farm moved through several elite owners before consolidation in the Bute estate. Valentine Morris and later Sir Mark Wood held substantial property interests in the area, and an 1820 “memorandum of exchanges of land between the Marquess of Bute and Lord Plymouth in the parish of Llandough” and the subsequent survey of the Marquess of Bute’s Glamorgan estates by David Stewart (Glamorgan Archives ref. DB/E) show Bute taking control of farms including “Great House Farm alias Cedfin” as part of a rationalisation of their Glamorgan holdings. These records prove the estate‑side chain (Morris → Wood → Bute) for the Llandough block as a whole; they do not yet, on their own, show exactly when or how legal title to Great House Farm moved into Williams hands, which is why the missing Bute/Thomas/Williams conveyances are so important. 1794-1824 - Farm’s title transition to Sir Mark Wood. 1817-1828 - The Missing Information: Historical "Cardiff Records" confirm a Lambert Williams was a high-status Ward Constable in Cardiff. Linking Williams to high-status officials like Lambert Williams reinforces the "Gentry" status the family claimed. It moves the argument from "squatters" to "Displaced Gentry" who were victims of the Bute Estate’s administrative consolidation in the 19th century. 1818 , Chief rents of Llandough were transferred to the manorial rental in 1818 The "Lambert Williams" Connection (D160/1-4) Look at file D160/1-4: “Deeds... comprising an agreement between Lambert Williams of Cardiff and... 1818–1835.” The Mystery: Lambert Williams was a significant figure in Cardiff/Llandough legal circles. If confirmed, he was making agreements with the Bute Estate in the early 19th century.The Potential Fraud: If the 1987 case claimed the family were merely "squatters," These 1818 deeds show that a Williams was a recognised party in formal agreements with the estate, indicating legal standing, though not necessarily peer-to-peer status with the estate owners. 1820 - Memorandum of exchanges of land between the Marquis of Bute and Lord Plymouth in p. Llandough, (Watermark 1820). Llandough and Cogan appear in the rentals from 1821 onwards 1824-1926 - Marquess of Bute, After Sir Mark Wood’s property was put up for auction and subsequently surveyed for the Bute estate by David Stewart. 1824 - Great House Farm is recorded in estate surveys (possibly identified with “Cedfin” in some records, though this identification should be treated cautiously pending confirmation). Survey of marquis of Bute’s Glamorgan estates, by David Stewart (Document ref: DB/E/1-2) Titles of Llandough (along with Leckwith and Cogan) were purchased in 1824" Glamorgan Estate rentals (R 1. Sub-sub-fonds 1728-1893. Part of Bute Estate Records) 1840-1880s - "Court House" was possibly rebranded a Grange (a site of legal authority) as a "Grange" or "Farm," the Bute estate could demote the occupants from "Gentry with Tenure" to "Tenants of a Farm." This transition is a classic tactic used to consolidate estate boundaries during the 19th-century land reforms. This period aligns with a broader systemic shift across the Bute and Tredegar Estates to modernize land management by erasing manorial vestiges in favor of industrial and agricultural efficiency. By recording it as a "Grange" or "Farm" in the Bute Estate Records (NLW D 219), the estate effectively "lost" the history of the 1667 acquisition, replacing a proprietary history with a tenant-farmer history. 1840s–1850s: The Administrative Downgrade: Historically, the Court House served as the administrative center for manorial business (Court Barons). A "Court House" implies a physical site of Incorporeal Hereditaments (manorial rights). In the mid-19th century, census and tithe records began systematically shifting terminology. For example, similar properties in the Vale transitioned from "Great House" (Tŷ Mawr) to "Great House Farm" (Tŷ Mawr Farm) in the 1881 census. This linguistic shift officially demoted the property from a seat of local governance to a mere commercial agricultural unit. 1845-1892/93, Llandough is listed as one of the areas in both Farm rents and Cottage rents sections (1845-1892/93) 1870 – Williams Family Discover Roman Soldier (some references to 88, like in a newspaper, but that might be a mix up with Llantwit Major) This account is based on family testimony and later local press reports; it has not yet been matched to a specific 19th‑century antiquarian publication or museum record. 1870 – The property was still functionally a substantial residence, but the "Grange" narrative was likely being pushed by the Bute Estate to justify its treatment as a standard leasehold farm. The Roman soldier in full armor was discovered under the living room floor of Tŷ Mawr (Great House Farm) in 1870/88. This discovery occurred while the Williams family was replacing the old stone flagstones with a timber floor. This private find happened exactly one hundred years before the house was demolished in 1988 and over a century before the "official" 1994 excavations that claimed to first reveal the site's true historical depth. The reported discovery of a “Roman soldier in full armor” is based on family testimony and later press accounts and has not yet been verified in primary archaeological records. Context of the Discovery The Artifacts: The soldier was reportedly found in a stone-lined grave (cist) wearing what appeared to be bronze or iron armor, which aligns with later academic findings of a high-status Roman Villa and an early medieval cemetery on the same grounds. The "Official" Narrative vs. Reality: While academic reports often focus on the "rescue" digs of 1978 and 1994, Williamses 19th-century discovery serves as evidence that the historical significance of the site was known locally for generations. Archaeological Significance: The burial was likely part of the Llandough Roman Villa estate, which was later used as a sacred monastic burial ground. Physical evidence found by residents was dismissed or "lost" until a developer's project forced a formal, taxpayer-funded excavation. It is therefore well-documented in local lore and early antiquarian records that Llandough was a Roman and early Christian hub. The discovery of a "Roman soldier in full armor" (often associated with the high-status burials of the Llandough Roman Villa) should have legally triggered an immediate halt to any development The 1876 Carve-Out (D153/4-8) The record explicitly mentions "land (33 a.), formerly part of Great House Farm, for the Llandough Limeworks (33 a.), 1876–1912." The "Between the Lines" Reality: In 1876, the Bute Estate effectively "severed" the land from the farm. By designating it for "Limeworks," they moved the property from Manorial/Agricultural tenure (which Williamses family held) into the Industrial/Commercial category. The Legal Erasure: If Wiliamses family was living there in 1870 (when they found the Roman soldier), this 1876 deed represents the Bute Estate treating the land as their own to lease out to industry, likely ignoring the family's 1667 claim. 1880s–1890s: The Final Rebranding: By the time Marconi visited in 1897, the house was firmly referred to as Great House Farm in press reports. In surrounding areas like Grangetown, the Bute Estate was actively rebranding old manorial lands (like the Grange Marshes) for industrial use, which may have influenced the local renaming of high-status farms to "Granges" to suggest they were historical monastic outbuildings (which were easier to reclaim) rather than private manorial seats 1897 - Marconi is the Williams Families house guest, at Great House Farm According to family tradition (not yet confirmed in Marconi’s technical papers or estate correspondence)… Guglielmo Marconi slept at Great House Farm while working on wireless telegraphy experiments, including transmission tests between Lavernock Point and Flat Holm. In a suppressed article a Williams was also mounting a pole during the successful famous experiment at Llavernock Point. The Williams is question was cut from the narrative or dismissed as another post office worker But what are the odds that the man cut from the successful Marconi experiment, called Williams, isn't the Williams from Great House Farm that was carting Marconi to and from his experiments and the farm house, including that day - but another Williams. What are the odds if it was two men not one, cut from the headlines, they were both Williams The Williams farmer was also allegedly not the engineer erecting the mast, as the farming family allegedly couldn't have been engineers. Yet a cousin called Williams, of Barry, died in Brussels as a Royal Engineers Soldier in 1918. Linking a named Williams ancestor to a world-changing event like the first radio transmission at Lavernock Point, elevates the family from "tenants" to "National History Contributors," making the demolition of their home a cultural crime, not just a property dispute. 1897 - Auction of Llandough, Farm ? Early–Mid 20th Century – Quarry and Tenancy Quarryman/ Quarry Operator for Marquess of Bute (Daniel Thomas) is alleged to have made an agreement with Williams family regarding quarrying. Whereby the Williams grant permission to quarry farm on condition they receive title afterwards. (Evidence of this predates formal land registration and is referenced in later court materials) That key title documents were suppressed or "lost" while in public or corporate custody, it reopens the door for a claim of unlawful dispossession ~1850-1950 – Tree Planting A ceremonial tree planting takes place at the farm, a public symbolic act of land continuity and identity. 1895–1905 — The Daniel Thomas arrangement Family testimony and later court narratives state that Daniel Thomas & Son made an agreement with the Williams family whereby quarrying was allowed in return for eventual title; the key deeds referred to are now missing and need to be traced in Bute estate and local archives D. Thomas & Son, Limestoners, operating locally, quarry limestone on or near Great House Farm. Quarrying legally required the occupier’s consent, not just the estate’s. Williams family grants permission. In return, ownership or permanent security is promised (whether formally written or not). Family testimony states that this agreement with Daniel Thomas & Son allowed quarrying in return for some form of security or future title, but no surviving deed currently confirms this arrangement in legal terms. A tree-planting ceremony marks this transition: This is not proof of legal title but it is strong evidence of customary transfer belief at the time At this point, the Williams believe they own the farm. In the late 19th/early 20th century, the Bute Estate sold off many "superior" interests to consolidate funds for Cardiff Docks. If Thomas acted as an intermediary, there should be a Conveyance of the Freehold Reversion or an Enfranchisement Deed (converting manorial tenure to freehold). The "fraud and concealment" you refer to in the 1987 case likely involved the suppression of this specific 1900s deed. Local trade also prospered and surplus produce of the Vale farmsteads and limestone, which was considered to be the best for hardening under water, were shipped to Bristol, Minehead, Watchet, and other places across the Bristol Channel. It was limestone from Aberthaw which was used in the construction of the docks at Sebastopol, and Smeaton used it when building the Eddystone Lighthouse. ~1915 - Two Daniel Thomas' in Wales Die this year (same D.T as above? unsure) February – Yearly agricultural tenancy to John Williams In February 1916 the Marquess of Bute granted a yearly agricultural tenancy of Great House Farm to Mr John Williams (Mrs Mary Williams’ maternal grandfather). This is one of the few solid documentary points where the estate’s view is clear: on paper, Bute was still treated as the freehold owner, and John Williams was recorded as tenant. That sits uneasily with the family’s longstanding belief that they already “owned” the farm, but it does not rule out earlier informal or unrecorded understandings; large estates sometimes regularised long‑standing occupiers by putting them on formal tenancies, even where those occupiers believed they had stronger rights. Legally, 1916 marks a sharp divergence between lived reality and estate paperwork: the Williams line saw themselves as inheritors of an older title, while the estate’s documents framed them as agricultural tenants of Bute. From the family’s perspective, this tenancy may have been experienced as bureaucratic tidying‑up of a relationship they already regarded as ownership, rather than as a fresh grant that erased earlier rights. This is a clear documentary point where the estate records treat Bute as freeholder and John Williams as tenant, regardless of any earlier family belief in ownership. n later court proceedings, the shift in legal language from treating my grandmother as someone asserting ownership to describing her as an “occupier” or “squatter” was not neutral; by choosing those Latin‑loaded and technical terms, the system effectively downgraded a long‑standing claim of superior title into mere possession, which I argue amounted to an erasure of her identity and status as Williams, not simply a change of label. 1924 - Llandough Estate sale The fact that "Great House" appears in the Llandough Estate sale of 1924 (DSA/6/701) suggests the Bute/Byass estates were systematically "packaging" manorial lands to sell them off, likely ignoring the ancient "equitable titles" held by families like Williams Ownership shifts for Great House Farm, Llandough: Part of the Sidney H. Byass estate (GD/LA/15/189). 1925–35 Mr Williams under pressure: age, debt, estate bureaucracy. 1926-39 - Intermediate titleholder Mountjoy Ltd (Private family company for the Bute Estate) 1935-39 - [CORRECTED] Mr. William Williams did NOT die in this period. The BP v Buckler judgment confirms he was alive in the late 1940s (para 35). Family testimony confirms he died "some time in the period 1965-67." The earlier online claim of death c.1935-39 is unsupported. The "David Thomas" Link Confirmed Look at DCOWHS/2: "'Glimpses into Life... as related to me by my paternal grandfather Mr. David Thomas of Great House Farm, Llandough'. The Revelation: This confirms David Thomas was not just a name on a deed; he was the occupier/owner of a "Great House Farm." . If the Williams family did a deal with him, they were dealing with a man who held the "memory" of the land's status. The Conflict: The archive shows Stephenson & Alexander (DSA/6/1158) sold "Great House Farm, Llandough" in 1938 for £5,500 to a Mr. L.D. Thomas of Porthcawl (DSA/6/1158)..This 1938 sale might be the moment the Paper Title was severed from the family’s Physical Possession, creating the "unlawful dispossession" mentioned. Buckler arrives. The Genealogical Breakdown 1. The Buckleriana Dynasty (The "Main" Line) This family, detailed in Charles Alban Buckler’s 1886 book Buckleriana, begins with John Buckler (d. 1540) of Causeway, Radipole, Dorset. Key Descendants: This line produced the 17th-century poet Edward Buckler (the author of the poem in your image) and the 19th-century architectural "dynasty" of John Buckler, John Chessell Buckler, and Charles Alban Buckler. Geographic Focus: They were primarily associated with Dorset, Somerset (Boreham/West Kirby), and later London and Oxfordshire. 2. Frederick Buckler and the Glamorgan Branch Frederick Buckler (1888–1965), the farmer at Great House Farm, Llandough, was part of a distinct Glamorgan-based branch of the family. Lineage: Frederick was the son of Samuel Buckler (a market gardener) and the grandson of George Buckler. The Link to the Dynasty: Records suggest the South Wales Bucklers migrated from the Frome/Somerset and Dorset borders in the 19th century. In the Buckleriana records, multiple "younger sons" from the Radipole and Boreham branches are noted as having moved into surrounding counties (Somerset/Hampshire) to establish merchant and farming families. Common Ancestry: Both Frederick and the "Buckleriana" architects share a common ancestor in the Bucklers of Dorset from the 16th century. Frederick likely descends from one of the "cadet" (younger) branches of the family that moved to Somerset before migrating to the industrializing Cardiff/Glamorgan area in the mid-1800s. The "BP Properties" Case Connection the "Buckleriana" architects became famous in London, their cousins—including Frederick Buckler’s direct ancestors—remained in the West Country as farmers and tradesmen before moving to Glamorgan. JOHN BUCKLER (1475–1540) of Causeway, Dorset (The Common Ancestor of both branches) | _________________|_____________________________ | | [THE DYNASTY LINE] [THE FARMING LINE] (Dorset -> London) (Somerset -> Glamorgan) | | EDWARD BUCKLER (1610–1706) Descendant Branch (Poet of "Thoughts of Death") (Dorset/Somerset Farmers) | | JOHN BUCKLER (1770–1851) GEORGE BUCKLER (c. 1810–1880) (Patriarch Architect) (Somerset/Wales border) | | JOHN CHESSELL BUCKLER (1793–1894) SAMUEL BUCKLER (1855–1930) (Architect, lived to 100) (Market Gardener, Cardiff) | | CHARLES ALBAN BUCKLER (1824–1905) FREDERICK BUCKLER (1888–1965) (Author of "Buckleriana") (Great House Farm, Llandough) | MRS. BUCKLER (d. 1983) (BP Properties v Buckler, 1987) Frederick Buckler: The presence of a "Buckler" (a family name synonymous with Oxfordshire/London heraldry and architecture) at this specific Welsh farm during this 100-year window is a highly specific genealogical detail. Frederick Buckler's appearance as a newcomer who married into the family and potentially subverted their claim would be consistent with "estate management" tactics of that era WW Year Unknown Later in 2024 David Buckler, grandson of Fredrick Buckler, alleges what happens next; - Mr Fredrick Buckler Engages a solicitor privately with eldest son (old enough to be capable of dealing with paperwork) - Family is told “it’s all been dealt with legally”. Details are withheld. [This produces: - belief inside the family: title existed, but was stolen - belief inside institutions: Williams never held title] 16 November 1938, Western Mail report sale (Page: 12) Great House Farm was advertised as “sold” at auction by Herbert R. Thomas (Bute Estate / Mountjoy Ltd or its nominee/ local estate agent and chartered auctioneer). This transaction related to the freehold reversion — a paper title — and did not result in the displacement of the Williams family, who remained in physical occupation. The later history of rent arrears, possession proceedings, and adverse possession claims demonstrates that the 1938 sale did not convey vacant possession, but instead marked the beginning of a long divergence between paper ownership and living occupation. 1938 Western Ground Rents Ltd bought the urban leaseholds of the Bute Glamorgan Estate from Mountjoy Ltd for £5m. 1938 - Reversion Conveyed The reversion was conveyed to Western Ground Rents Ltd. Western Ground Rents Ltd was a Cardiff-based ground rent company that operated one of the most extensive and controversial property portfolios in South Wales during the mid-twentieth century. The company's business model centered on acquiring freehold reversions from original property developer (Ideal Homes Wales Ltd (now part of Persimmon Homes)), thereby becoming an intermediary landlord that collected ground rents from leasehold occupiers while maintaining ultimate ownership of the underlying land. This operational approach generated substantial profits—shareholders could recover their capital more than twice within three years through dividends of 50% (1951–52, 1952–53), 25% (1953–56), a capital distribution equivalent to 60% (1956–57), and 75% (1957, 1958)—but also attracted intense criticism from tenants, politicians, and housing reform advocates . The company's litigation strategy in the early 1960s reflected systematic enforcement of ground rent claims. Rather than accepting negotiated settlements, Western Ground Rents pursued aggressive legal action to recover possession from tenants in arrears. The 1962 action against Mr. Frederick Buckler and Mrs. Buckler (sued as Mrs. Williams) for possession of Great House Farm must be understood within this broader pattern of enforcement activity, with the Cardiff County Court serving as the primary venue for the company's numerous possession claims August 25 1948 - Mr William Buckler junior is born. February 2, 1949 - New tenancy to Mr Frederick Buckler Mrs Mary Williams, Mr Williams daughter (and her Husband Frederick Williams) take over from Mr Williams Agricultural Tenancy. Mrs Williams, although married, retains her maiden name. No written agreement executed. It was intended that Mr Frederick Buckler should have a written tenancy agreement, but this did not happen because Mr Frederick Buckler also failed to pay the rent. "Identity Erasure" (The Mrs. Buckler Label) Hereinafter the court and Western Ground Rents consistently referred to Mary Williams as "Mrs. Buckler." The Tactic: By addressing her by her husband's name, they stripped her of her connection to the Williams lineage—the very lineage that held the "grandfather rights" and the Bute/Thomas agreement. The Legal Goal: It is easier to argue that a "widow" is a mere dependent of a deceased (tenant, as Frederick becomes the tenant and later expressed interest in license) than it is to argue that a Williams daughter is not the rightful heir to an ancestral agreement involving the Bute Estate. 1950 - Sketch of former layout of part of village by Mrs. Nancy Buckler of great house farm, Llandough, with notes, n.d. [c. 1950] https://glamorgan.epexio.com/en/records/DXJF/64/27-32/30 The "Corbett of Cogan Pill" Connection Items DXJF/64/30-31 are filed under the Corbett Family of Cogan Pill. Why this matters: The Corbetts succeeded the Herberts as the local "big players." If Mrs. Nancy Buckler was sketching the village for the Corbett archives in 1950, she was being treated as a local historical authority, not a squatter. The "squatter" narrative of 1987 flatly contradicts the 1950 archive record where she is a contributor to the county's history October 10 1952 - Letter from the landlords’ agents to families solicitor, stating that they did not propose to proceed with the letting to Mr Frederick Buckler. 1953 – Last Rent Payment Mr Frederick Buckler's last rent payment was in 1953, under a judgment for arrears of rent. Mr Frederick Buckler periodic tenancy, protected by the Agricultural Holdings Act, was terminated with a notice to quit expiring on February 2, 1955. A key date for adverse possession arguments referenced in later case law. 1953/55 - Adverse possession commenced Adverse possession of the farmhouse and garden by Mr Frederick Buckler and Mrs Williams, commenced. 2 February 1955 – Original Tenancy Formally Terminated Agricultural tenancy formally ends, making adverse possession arguments hinge on this date. Both parents were found to have the required animus possidendi (intention to possess). 1955 - High Court possession proceedings Western Ground Rents Ltd brought possession proceedings in the High Court under Order 14 and obtained a possession order for the whole farm. Mr Williams and his wife Mrs Esther Williams (Mrs Mary Williams parents and Mr Fredrick Bucklers parents in law) also living at the farm in 1955, although elderly. July 4, 1955, the possession order was enforced Possession order was enforced for the farm except the farmhouse and garden due to Mrs Mary William's strong objections following her leg amputation and hospitalization. The reason why the order was not enforced in respect of the farmhouse and garden was that Mrs Mary Williams (daughter of Mr Williams, wife of Mr Frederick Buckler and mother of Mr Buckler junior) had recently come out of hospital after having had a leg amputated and was objecting very strongly to leaving the farmhouse. There was even, apparently, a fear that she might attempt suicide. The Williams' occupation of the farmhouse and garden remained undisturbed. 1959 - Mrs Williams title to the property from grandfather Mrs Williams believed she had title to the property through her grandfather - produced no documents (as the title was allegedly stolen from the public library and the copy stolen from loft of farmhouse). She was offered a tenancy of the farmhouse and garden by Western Ground Rents but refused to accept it. She was also later offered, and refused, alternative accommodation. The advisers of Western Ground Rents seem during these years to have supposed that, if they attended at the farmhouse from time to time and asserted Western Ground Rents’ title, that was sufficient to prevent time running against Western Ground Rents under the Limitation Act 1939. Plainly, however, that notion was erroneous, as section 13 of the Act provides that ‘no person shall be deemed to have been in possession of any land by reason only of having made a formal entry thereon, and no continual or other claim upon or near any land shall preserve any right of action to recover the land’. Family Established pattern of resistance! July 1961 – RState and Corporations, pattern of aggressive tactics. Parliamentary records (Hansard) from July 1961 reveal that Western Ground Rents was a notorious entity in South Wales, accused by MPs of "callous behaviour," "machinations," and "arrogantly ignoring communications" from long-term residents.The Value Add: Framing BP’s "unilateral licence" (the 1974 letter) within the context of Western Ground Rents' aggressive property tactics provides a powerful narrative for reparations. It suggests the family wasn't just losing a legal case; they were victims of a wider, systemic predatory practice against Welsh leaseholders. 1961 – The Hansard Evidence prove the "bad faith" and aggressive reputation of the corporation (Western Ground Rents) the family was fighting. 1962 – Rent Arrears / Possession Proceedings Western Ground Rents brought a fresh action in Cardiff County Court against Mr Frederick Buckler and Mrs Buckler for possession of the farmhouse and garden and mesne profits since 1955. Western Ground Rents obtained a possession order against the occupying family, but it was never executed. 11th December 1962 – Second Possession Order On December 11 1962 a possession order was made by Judge Temple Morris QC together with an order for payment of mesne profits. The 1962 case Western Ground Rents Ltd v. Mrs. Williams was a Cardiff County Court possession action for Great House Farm, Llandough. The defendant was actually Mrs. Buckler (sued as Mrs. Williams). The claim failed to result in eviction; Perhaps as no judge could ignore three centuries of history. June 1963 - suspended committal order against Mr Frederick Buckler, ref: December 11 1962 order for payment of mesne profits. 1960s – Village Changes Housing development begins in the area; wider growth of Llandough replaces much farmland. October 1964: The agricultural tenancy of Great House Farm (held by the Williams family) officially came to an end. Mr. Frederick Buckler and his wife remained in the farmhouse without a formal legal agreement. Jan/Feb 1965: Negotiations took place between Western Ground Rents and the Bucklers. Mr. Buckler expressed frustration (complaining) that the company would not let him the agricultural land, as he wished to continue farming. March 2, 1965: Western Ground Rents’ agents sent a formal offer to Mrs. Williams for a weekly tenancy of the farmhouse and garden at a rent of £2 10s. March 1965 (Late): Mrs Williams nor Mr. Fredrick Buckler did not sign or return the tenancy agreement. However, they remained in the house, and because they did not pay rent, their occupation began to be treated as "adverse" by the owners—setting the clock ticking, for what would eventually be the 12-year legal limit for adverse possession. December 1965 - Mr Frederick Buckler died of heart-related issues, often cited as a coronary thrombosis His death occurred only a few months after the failed 1965 tenancy negotiations. After the death of Mr Frederick Buckler, Mrs Williams remained in possession of the farmhouse and garden, with various of her children living there with her, including Mr Buckler junior. No payment was made. Western Ground Rents kept the matter in the County Court (a lower court) rather than seeking a declaration of title in the High Court. The Tactic: County courts are designed for possession orders (evictions), not for complex, centuries-old title disputes involving ancestral rights and Bute Estate covenants. By keeping it "small," they avoided a deep dive into the 300-year history of the Williams family. 1966 - "Inhuman and Unjust": In a 1966 Parliamentary debate, Western Ground Rents was described as "one of the most inhuman and unjust" landlords, with MPs stating they were "draining the lifeblood out of Wales" through predatory practices. 1969 - explicitly labeled "The Worst in Wales"; ".. about the worst ground landlords in Wales" in the House of Commons. This proves that the Williams family wasn't just in a "fair legal fight." They were victims of an entity with a documented history of systemic cruelty toward Welsh residents, which BP inherited and continued. December 1969 – Western Ground Rent sells to BP Pension Trust Ltd BP Pension Trust Ltd inherits the interest in Great House Farm, including the farmhouse and garden after it was sold by Western Ground Rents to BP Pension Trust Ltd. 1970 – School Opens Llandough Primary School opens, signalling residential growth near the farm site. The term "dilapidated utility building" wasn't a formal academic classification; it was a justification used by developers in the planning process. By describing a medieval manor as a "ruined barn," they made it easier for the local planning office to approve demolition Scientific Suppression While the legal battle raged, the authorities intentionally kept Great House Farm unlisted. By pretending they didn't know about the Roman soldier or the 800-year-old architecture, they ensured the house had no legal protection. This allowed BP to plan for the "13 homes" they wanted to build on the ruins of Williamses family's heritage. Nothing thus far done to enforce the 1962 possession order.(as said by judge "nothing was done before 1974" in 1987 case). 1973/74 - Tensions escalated a "pressure campaign" is mounted by BP Pensions Trust to force eviction. 1975 papers (DCOWHS) The Bucklers weren't just random occupants; they were established members of the farming community. Highlighting the 1975 papers (DCOWHS) paints a picture of a family that lived there under a "moral" expectation of ownership, that the 1987 legal technicality stripped away. BP Pension Trust Ltd started a fresh action in the Cardiff County Court. The action was for possession and mesne profits against Mrs Williams and various members of her family, including Mr Buckler junior. ~June 1974 – Missing Title Evidence Important copies of title deeds and evidence reportedly went missing by this time, impacting the family’s ability to prove ownership. (Referenced indirectly through later accounts) 3 July 1974 court hearing. Mary Williams pleads claim of ownership. This was part heard and a formal defence was filed on behalf of Mrs Williams. The defence asserted that BP Pension Trust’s claim was barred by adverse possession under the Limitation Act 1939; So far as Mr Buckler junior is concerned, his plea was that he occupied as licensee of Mrs Williams. That action has never been finally heard. The court adjourned without ruling on title, focusing only on possession. 1974 – Community Petition A petition signed by 1,700 local residents is circulated for preservation of Great House Farm from demolition and housing development, after BP Pension Trust Ltd got planning permission to build houses from the old local Council, before the specific council ending shortly afterwards. Reflecting public 17 September 1974 - BP Pension Trust Ltd gave notice of an application (by them as successors in title to Western Ground Rents) for leave to enforce the possession order of December 11 1962 (the order of Judge Temple Morris QC). 19 September 1974 – Judge Watkin Powell on that application (17 September 1974) gave BP Pension Trust Ltd leave to execute the order for possession from December 11 1962. With a warrant scheduled. He ordered that the possession warrant do issue forthwith, but be not enforced until October 31 1974. This meant bailiffs couldn't act to evict the family from the farmhouse and garden until October 31, 1974. The Cardiff County Court effectively ordered Mrs. Buckler to give up possession of the property she occupied. This set the stage for the queried events, as BP's strategy was to assert ownership rhetorically without seeking a direct judicial ruling on title, avoiding a potential loss given the family's centuries-long occupation and missing deeds from 1955 proceedings. The position then was that the 1962 judgment for possession was still available to the landlords, and their title to the farmhouse and garden had not been extinguished — The claim that the appellant’s mother had obtained a title by adverse possession before October 31 1974 was unfounded. 1974 Floor Plan (RCAHMW: "Great House Farm, Llandough" by H.W. Thomas): Architectural drawing noting late 17th-19th century features, . Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) documents post-1667 modifications, aligning with Williams occupancy. 30 October 1974 – Appeal Application Mrs Williams solicitors issued a notice of appeal to this court against the order of Judge Watkin Powell (on the ground that Mrs Williams had had insufficient notice of the application and therefore had had no opportunity of presenting her case). And her solicitors took an appointment before the judge in the Cardiff County Court for November 4 1974, for a stay of execution of his order of September 19 1974. Same Day – Press Report The appeal application is reportedly leaked to the press, with journalists arriving before hearings could occur. This media involvement amplified public sympathy, portraying BP as a "rapacious" corporation targeting a disabled widow with deep familial ties to the land (over 300 years of occupation). As yet there is still no evidence of any press coverage from 1974, only what the court records allege. 31 October 1974 – Warrant Withdrawal A scheduled possession enforcement warrant for this date is withdrawn, the narrative is, that this was a benevolent act by BP due to the public outcry and media attention of which there is yet any evidence of. Withdrawal prevented immediate eviction, allowing Mary to remain until her death in 1983, but it preserved BP's title by avoiding a full ownership trial. 4 November 1974 – Licence Letters Issued This is the date Mrs Williams solicitors sought a stay of execution from. But letters are received by Mrs Williams solicitor, from BP Pension Trust Ltd and BP Properties Ltd, allegedly sent 31st October, were a unilateral offer of a unilateral lifetime licence to “Mrs Buckler” to occupy the farm until her death, uninterrupted (allegedly subsequent to the appeal application, later central to legal dispute). Whereby unilaterally means to decide without consulting the other party. Used a lot in the phrase, “unilateral disarmament”. The interest in a license, expressed by Mr Frederick Buckler before his death in late 1960’s, died with him. And so Mrs Williams was falsely entitled Mrs Buckler in order to bind that earlier expressed interest and Buckler family title, to the unilateral license. Furthermore the license was alleged to be accepted by her silence, as no expressed rejection or acceptance occurred. The Act: Addressing legal license letters to a "Mrs. Buckler" when she was IN FACT Mary Williams. The Intent: By using her deceased husband's surname—which she did not use—BP attempted to "inherit" his willingness to entertain a license. The Trap: If she replied, she would be acknowledging the name and, by extension, the license. If she didn't, they used her "silence" to claim she accepted the license by default. The Injustice: This wasn't a clerical error; it was a tactical erasure of her identity as a Williams, the holder of the 320-year-old possessory title Furthermore, evidence exists Mrs Williams was not silent and expressly rejected. Like the 1978 newspaper article, that reports her publicly claiming ownership and rejecting BPs asserted claim - Evidence later suppressed and/or excluded from proceeding events and cases (like the land being registered by BP without reporting the dispute of it. And the BP Vs Buckler case 1987). Two separate entities—BP Pension Trust Ltd and BP Properties Ltd—issuing letters simultaneously or in sequence to "corroborate" a narrative. The Fraud: In 1974, BP Properties likely did not yet have the paper title from the Pension Trust. They issued "licenses" for land they didn't technically own on paper yet, while Williams Family actually possessed it. The Inconsistency: The judiciary treated them as separate entities to facilitate the 1987 ruling, but then treated them as the "same" to dismiss William Buckler Jn's appeal. This is a violation of the principle of Equity, where the law should be applied consistently. Corporate Collusion: Two BP companies "corroborating" each other to manufacture a fake history of permission. 1960-1970 - Title Avoidance/ Bypass to alter heritage site During this period, BP or associated developers (Ideal Homes Wales Ltd (now part of Persimmon Homes).) reportedly sought possession of the land rather than a formal title ruling. By failing to affirm land title in court against the Williams family's long-term occupancy, they may have bypassed legal requirements to prove ownership before altering the heritage site 1978-1980 GGAT Major Excavation The official major excavations by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) happened in 1978–1980—but that was largely a "rescue" excavation because the site was already being cleared. Suppression of Known Archaeological Significance: The discovery of the Roman soldier in 1870/88 by the Williams family served as "actual notice" of the site’s historical importance. If the authorities or developers later claimed the site’s significance was "unknown" until the 1978 excavations to avoid preservation costs, this could constitute a fraudulent misrepresentation to the planning office from my analysis. Possible Conspiracy: By ensuring the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (GGAT) "missed" the 1870/88 records, the developers ensured they could demolish the site before anyone could declare it a protected heritage site. This is a common tactic: "Demolish first, ask for forgiveness later." 22 May 1980 – Parliamentary Criticism MP Ted Rowlands criticizes BP Pension Trust’s conduct in the House of Commons, highlighting community concern and public opposition. 1982 – First Land Registration Land registration is introduced in Wales; the farm, however, is registered under BP’s title by this point. 1983 – Mary Williams Dies Mary Williams dies at the farmhouse, having remained in possession until her death. 1984 – Deeds Reported Missing Copies of the Bute Estate → Daniel Thomas deed and index card are reported missing from Cardiff Library (affecting documentary support). 1984 – The Missing Detail: Reference Number for the 1900s index card that was reportedly removed from the Cardiff Library in 1984.. The Strategy: If can be identified, the Archive Series (likely Bute Estate Records: Llandough Rentals or Leases) where the card should have been, can be claimed as "State/Corporate Concealment" of evidence during the 1987 trial. The documentary trail at present shows Bute/Pembroke manorial lordship through 1829 and a Bute agricultural tenancy to John Williams in 1916. Family testimony and some press reports assert a much earlier purchase (1667) and a later Daniel Thomas/Bute deal in the early 1900s, but the key conveyance deeds are missing. My reconstruction treats those as serious claims that need to be tested against Bute estate records and any surviving title documents. This isn't abandoning the argument; it just puts the burden of proof where it belongs (on archives, not on assumption). 1985-94 - George Smith 31 July 1987 – Court of Appeal Decision In BP Properties Ltd v Buckler [1987] EWCA Civ 2, the Court of Appeal holds that the 1974 unilateral licence ended adverse possession and forecloses the Buckler ownership claim. The Use of the Term "Squatter": The legal proceedings often framed the occupiers as "squatters" or "defendants" seeking possessory title, whereas your account emphasizes their centuries of documented family occupation starting in 1667 (p. 1). The court prioritized the formal Land Registration Act processes over the historical context. Just says "Mrs Mary Buckler, who was also from time to time referred to as Mrs Williams", had conceived the notion that she had a title to the ownership of Great House Farm through her own grandfather and that there were documents in existence which proved her title. No such documents were, however, ever produced. (uses the word conceived as if to say title was imaginary and says Mrs Williams was used from time to time, as oppose to her title being Williams and the courts referring to her as Mrs Buckler, which was the time to time occurrence the judge mentioned. The importance of this is stated elsewhere. The court ruled that Mrs. Buckler did not have "adverse possession" (squatter's rights) because BP had sent her letters granting her permission to stay for life, effectively turning her into a "licensee." . DXJF/64/30 and DXJF/64/31 mention "...sketch of former layout of part of village by Mrs. Nancy Buckler of Great House Farm, Llandough, with notes, n.d. [c. 1950]". These archive records prove the family’s deep, functional connection to Great House Farm dating back to at least the 1950s (and likely earlier through the Thomas lineage mentioned in DCOWHS/2). If the goal is to argue for the family's historical role as stewards of the land, these sketches are primary evidence of their long-term residence and intimate knowledge of the estate. In the 1987 Court of Appeal case, the court consistently referred to her as "Mrs. Buckler." This was not just a naming error; it was a legal mechanism to disconnect her from the Williams family's hereditary tenure, which dates back to at least 1667. Reparations Argument: A reparations claim could center on "Identity Erasure." By forcing a marital name and a "licensee" status on a woman who asserted her rights as a Williams (a hereditary tenant/owner), the legal system stripped her of her cultural and ancestral connection to the land to make the eviction easier. 1987: Misrepresentation of Structure. In the lead-up to demolition, the medieval manor was allegedly described in planning documents as a "dilapidated utility building" or a "ruined barn." This description in 1987 was a potential fraudulent misrepresentation used to secure a demolition permit that would have been denied if the building were correctly identified as a 13th/15th-century fortified grange The Silence: Mary Williams never used that name. When she didn't respond to letters addressed to a person who didn't exist, BP claimed her "silence" was a sign of agreement. The "Two Llandoughs" Confusion (Resolved): The Stephenson & Alexander archive (GB 0214 DSA) references "Great House Farm, Llandough" in sales catalogues, but cross-referencing with People's Collection Wales (collection #1168196) and GENUKI confirms these references are to Llandough-juxta-Cowbridge (near Cowbridge Castle), NOT Llandough-juxta-Penarth where the Williams family lived. The 1938 DSA/6/1158 sale (£5,500) therefore does NOT relate to the Williams family's Great House Farm. The DBDT sub-fonds for "LLandough" at Glamorgan RO (DBDT58) contains only 1883 leases to Price and Hallett — nothing for 1916 or later. This resolves the "two Llandoughs" confusion definitively. The Mystery: Note items DXJF/64/30 and 31. These are sketches of the village layout by Mrs. Nancy Buckler of Great House Farm, Llandough [juxta-Penarth]. The Between-the-Lines: The 1987 BP Properties Ltd v Buckler case involved the Llandough near Penarth [1.1]. By labeling the family as "squatters" on a "farm," the court essentially ignored the Manorial Court House status of the Penarth site, perhaps intentionally confusing it with the more "obvious" agricultural Llandough near Cowbridge 1988 – 1990: Failure of Disclosure. During the initial "rescue" surveys following demolition, any failure by the developers or council to include the known 1870/88 family discovery in the official record constitutes a continuing concealment of the site's true value to the public and Cadw 6 December 1988 – Demolition Great House Farm is demolished, ending centuries of occupation and local heritage presence. Destruction of Evidence. The farmhouse was demolished in 1988. Proceeding with demolition while a land title dispute was active or without disclosing the 1870/88 archaeological find could be viewed as an intentional act to "bury" the legal and historical evidence of the Williams family's rights the area was described as being covered with "rough vegetation" following the clearance of the farm building. The Missing Information: Archaeological excavations conducted in 1994 (after the demolition) confirmed that the site was an early-medieval monastic cemetery and that the farmhouse was "comprehensively demolished" in 1988. The Cadw Listing Attempt: Evidence that the house was on the verge of being protected by the state when it was destroyed. The Value Add: There is evidence that Cadw (Welsh Heritage) was in the process of assessing the building for listing or protection just as it was demolished. The "pre-emptive strike" of demolishing an 800-year-old "County Treasure" within hours of a court ruling could be framed as a destruction of national heritage to prevent the family from ever returning. the "Missing Human Narrative".The legal case (BP Properties Ltd v Buckler 1987) is often taught in law schools as a dry technicality about land titles, but your details expose what many call "Corporate Bad Faith.". If Mary died in 1983, the "license" legally expired four years before the 1987 Court of Appeal ruling. BP used a "Ghost License" (a permit for a deceased person) as a legal shield to evict a living pregnant woman and three infants. This highlights the absurdity of the law at the time: it prioritized a piece of mail sent to a dead grandmother over the human rights of her living descendants. 1988 Eviction "Force Ratio".. "five bailiffs and around 20 police officers". The Missing Context:The proportionality comparison. Evicting a pregnant woman and three infants with 25 officials for a corporate land-bank (not for a public road or school) is an extreme tactic that modern courts (under the Human Rights Act 1998) would likely deem unlawful. The "Ghost License" and the Human Rights Violation The most significant opportunity for justice lies in the gap between the 1983 death of Mary Williams and the 1988 eviction of your pregnant mother and three infant children. The Opportunity: The 1987 BP Properties v Buckler case is a pillar of land law, but it is morally vulnerable. It relied on a "license for life" sent to Mary in 1974. The Argument: Since Mary died in 1983, that license was legally "spent". The eviction of a pregnant woman and infants in 1988 was not an act of "permitting a relative to stay," but a disproportionate use of force against a new generation that had no legal agreement with BP. +2 Value Add: Modern "Right to a Home" (Human Rights Act, Article 8) arguments, which didn't exist in 1987, could frame this as a state-sanctioned destruction of a family unit's security. 1960-1988: Legal Discrepancy: Possession vs. Title At no point during this window did the developers seek a High Court ruling to settle the land title dispute. By relying on "possession" (physical control) rather than "title" (legal right), they avoided a discovery process that would have revealed the Williams family's legal standing and the historical artifacts tied to the floorboards April 30, 1988 (South Wales Echo: "Check-up But Mr Buckler is refusing to leave..."): Describes Billy Buckler refusing to leave Great House Farm for a medical check-up, fearing bailiffs would return with police to evict the family on behalf of BP Properties. A dozen officers were reportedly on site during a prior attempt. This reflects ongoing possession disputes after BP's 1987 Court of Appeal win. December 3, 1988 (South Wales Echo: "History fight to save farm"): Reports on efforts by Cadw (Welsh historic buildings body) and locals to halt demolition, citing the farm's potential historic value (e.g., as a 12th-century monastic grange). Includes quotes from a Cadw inspector on the need for a site visit and from Billy Buckler's wife on the emotional toll. Police presence during a four-hour standoff is mentioned. This ties into public campaigns, including petitions, to preserve the site. December 6, 1988 (Western Mail: "Farmer fails in final eviction hearing"): Covers Billy Buckler's failed High Court appeal against eviction. Judge Norman Francis notes the family's 400-year history but rules in BP's favor due to ownership rights. Buckler vows to fight on, mentioning a chainsaw standoff. The article highlights public sympathy and archaeological concerns. Dec. 6, 1988 - Demolition occurred overnight on , amid protests December 10, 1988 (South Wales Echo: "Billy's unhappy family"): Focuses on the family's post-eviction hardship, now living in a bus after demolition. Includes photos and quotes from family members (e.g., Karen Griffiths, Terry Rayment) on unemployment, lack of housing, and emotional distress. Bailiffs evicted them amid protests. December 10, 1988 (South Wales Echo: "...wallet And I thought went to police they would have tried to get for killing Buckler"): Reports Billy Buckler freed on bail after facing charges related to the eviction (possibly assault or threats). He lived at the farm until its demolition by BP that week. December 13, 1988 (South Wales Echo: "...who lived at Great House Farm Llan-dough... All I've got left are the clothes stand up in Mr Buckler evicted by BP Properties"): Quotes Buckler post-demolition: "Farmer Buckler: I hope the..." (incomplete in image, but context is despair over losing everything except his clothes). March 24, 1989 (South Wales Echo: "Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death' Farmer Billy Buckler"): Details Buckler's vow to continue fighting over the farm and 70 acres lost to BP. Mentions his historic family home in Llandough. March 23, 1989 (South Wales Echo: "...and ask for advice or practical assistance COWBRIDGE RD WEST & AIRPORT Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty"): Reports Buckler freed after admitting guilt (likely to charges from the standoff), related to losing Great House Farm. 1980s Article (South Wales Echo: "Grievous 10" / "Open day to save ancient Welsh house"): Describes a public open day at the 800-year-old house, organized by Godfrey Francis, where hundreds visited to support preservation amid BP's ownership dispute. William Rees protests the demolition proposal. Undated (Western Mail: "Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on"): Billy Buckler, post-standoff with a chainsaw, declares: "I'm here to stay." Mentions a four-hour showdown with bailiffs and police, and his claim of 400-year family tenure. Undated (South Wales Echo: "Charge against evicted farmer dropped"): Billy Buckler cleared of threatening words/behavior at his former home. Summons "out of time"; he faced other charges but was living in Penarth. 1989 (South Wales Echo: "From farm to a bus"): Billy Buckler, now in a bus after 400-year-old home's demolition, 1990s – Planning & Archaeology Planning permission and archaeological reports precede residential development on the site. March 1992 The Planning Failure: In March 1992, full planning permission was obtained for the residential development without any condition requiring archaeological work. This proves the planning system failed to protect your family's heritage despite the 1870 finds you documented. The fact that the developer voluntarily funded the 1994 excavation—after the house was flattened—highlights that the council/BP should have protected it earlier. 1994 – Archaeological Excavation The Cotswold Archaeological Trust conducts excavations “revealing” a monastic cemetery with 800+ burials prior to development. Suppression of Known Archaeological Significance: The discovery of the Roman soldier in 1870/88 by the Williams family served as "actual notice" of the site’s historical importance. If the authorities or developers later claimed the site’s significance was "unknown" until the 1978/1994 excavations to avoid preservation costs, this could constitute a fraudulent misrepresentation to the planning office Official Narrative Distortion. When the major excavation of over 1,000 burials took place in 1994, it was framed as a "new" discovery. Attributing the site's significance only to this date ignores the family's 1870/88 notice, potentially protecting the parties involved in the 1988 demolition from liability for destroying a known monument. the timeline of many "forgotten" Victorian-era finds. The lack of "archaeological protection" until the 1990s suggests the site was not legally scheduled as a Monuments of National Significance at that time, which eventually allowed for the 1988 demolition. The "Burial 631" Context (c. AD 340-660): The discovery of "Burial 631" (dated between c. AD 340 and 660) highlights the site's national significance. While the suppressed 1870/88 Roman soldier discovery and the 1978-1980 archaeological reports already indicated a high-status site, the 1994 excavation confirmed these findings with specific evidence, such as "Burial 631"—a young man found with iron straps binding him. This highly unusual find underscored the true national importance of the archaeology located directly adjacent to and underneath the demolished farm, providing more specific detail than the general "Roman soldier" description. 2024 - David Buckler, William (Billy) Bucklers older brothers son Testifies; "Nan (Mrs Williams) often mentioned the story and had a journal with some of the dates and names of various VIP's that came to visit. Not sure that it survived the demolition and scattering of belongings. Billy was my dad's kid brother, Gramps (Mr Fredrick Buckler) passed at 56 and my dad at 55.I discussed the farm story with my Dad before he passed away and he was pretty sure that his Dad had tied off all the legal stuff when he sold the farm. He just kept it all to himself. That it was all done with a solicitor (legal type was the phrase). He didn’t tell the family for a long time and only gave them some details. The sale was well before 87, and it's why my dad (William Buckler's brother) fell out with grandad (Mr Fredrick Buckler). They all had a very hard / stressful time accepting the betrayal" Present Day – Church View Close The former farm site is now a housing development known as Church View Close, Llandough, comprising around 20 homes. Unresolved procedural and record issues (as alleged by the family) .... Why BP and predecessors repeatedly sought possession orders and licences rather than a clear judicial ruling on superior title. .... Whether licence letters dated 31 October 1974 were used tactically to interrupt or avoid a full hearing on ownership. .... How and when title was first registered in BP’s name without a determination of superior title, and whether Land Registry ever recorded the Williams dispute. .... Whether the two BP entities (Pension Trust and Properties) were treated inconsistently across proceedings to the family’s detriment. .... Whether known archaeological significance (including the 1888 burial discovery) was fully and honestly disclosed in planning and heritage processes, or effectively suppressed. .... The family has now formally placed on record an assertion that Rhys Buckler may be the rightful manorial lord of Llandough (by primogeniture from the Williams–Buckler line) and that Sion Buckler acts as a kind of “squire” or representative of that line, pending any proper adjudication; these are assertions of right, not yet legally recognised titles. .... The family also notes that the heir‑apparent to any such manorial claim has Down syndrome, and argues that any future obstruction of his succession or recognition would engage domestic equality law and the UK’s international disability‑rights obligations. NOTES Evidence Type Likely Location of the "Downplayed" Language Status Planning Application (1993/94) The "Design and Access" or "Building Survey" submitted by the developers to the Vale of Glamorgan Council. This is where a farmhouse is often downgraded to a "utility building" to avoid listing. Held in Vale of Glamorgan Planning Archives. 1978 GGAT Records The "Site Diary" or "Preliminary Assessment" (Ref: GGAT 151). This would contain the 1978 evaluation of the farmhouse's condition. Held by Heneb (formerly GGAT) in their primary archive. The "National Scandal" Quote This is often attributed to Dr. Edith Evans or other lead archaeologists from GGAT who criticized the planning process after the 1994 "rescue." Found in CBA (Council for British Archaeology) Wales newsletters or local press (Western Mail) from 1994. Newspaper article transcript GREAT HOUSE FARM, LLANDOUGH - NEWSPAPER ARTICLES TRANSCRIPTION ================================================================ ARTICLE 1: "Tears flow as 800 year-old farm house is razed at last" Source: South Wales Echo ------------------------------------------------------------------- MRS BUCKLER comforts daughter Amy after their home is razed to the ground. Tears flow as 800 year-old farm house is razed at last. THE FINAL chapter in the saga of the disputed ownership of Great House Farm, Llandough ended early yesterday when a team moved in to demolish the 800-year-old farm house. But the Buckler family who have been fighting to keep the house have been told there was not a building left standing on the five acre site at Cardiff Bay. The demolition was watched by farmers' wife Branwen Buckler, and her three children who were staying in a nearby caravan after their family home was flattened earlier this week, just after they had lost the legal fight to remain in the house. A court had ruled that William Buckler and family had no right to remain in the house. Mr Buckler, who admitted not paying any rent for 33 years. And that was the end of the long road for the Bucklers and their fight to keep their home where their family had lived for 400 years. To the House of Lords. "Now we are left with no home, no plans, no income. My young son has just six months to come down the chimney now it has gone." [Photo caption: Mrs Buckler comforts daughter Amy after their home is razed to the ground.] 1988 The manner of the eviction—removing a pregnant woman and three infants—was was extreme. Modern reparations often look at "Proportionality." Even if BP had the legal title, the act of evicting a pregnant mother and infants and immediately demolishing an 800-year-old "County Treasure" (Great House Farm) is arguably a disproportionate use of force and a violation of the family’s moral and cultural rights. The fact that the house was rebranded as a "dilapidated utility building" to justify the demolition while it was still a home for children is a "Heritage Crime" that could be pursued as part of a settlement request. The Opportunity: Your records show the 800-year-old house was rebranded as a "dilapidated utility building" in planning documents to bypass its status as a "County Treasure". The Argument: By demolishing the house just hours after the legal ruling, BP ensured that the physical evidence of the 1667 tenure—and the archaeological site beneath it—could never be used to reinstate the family. This "Demolish first, ask for forgiveness later" tactic is a recognized form of corporate misconduct ARTICLE 2: "Police wait outside the farmhouse during the four-hour showdown yesterday" Source: Newspaper clipping ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Police wait outside the farmhouse during the four-hour showdown yesterday. ARTICLE 3: "'Open day' to save ancient Welsh house" Source: Newspaper clipping Date: 12/1/74, 1600, 73 31 Author: By GODFREY FRANCIS -------------------------------------------------- Grievous id SIR—your proposal for the ultimate humiliation of the Great House Farm, Llandough would not wisely erase from memory the historical sites of Glamorgan which have special importance of the ancient Celtic monastery, a site of importance in the development of Christianity in Morganwg, need in early record with monasteries of St. Cadoc at Llancarfan and of St. Illtyd at Llantwit Major. The great church of Llanoughby was as monastic institution, enjoying this one-time monastic tradition. Detailed, yet tenuous in its heyday as a great collegiate institution, with its sub-endowments of worshipping the wood. In its decline, however presiding over a large community of Christian life were still important missioning centres in early Christianity in our region. The greater portion of this continue until the Norman conquest of Glamorgan when the monastery failed of its property was vested by the Lord of Glamorgan, in the Benedictine Abbey of Tewkesbury for services in beseeching being conducted. The benefactions of the Church of the Parish of Llandough, the revenues being regularly farmed out. The property of the site at Llandough remained appropriated to Tewkesbury until disposed with all its property to the Dissolution of the monasteries in the years 1536-39. The site at Llandough thus secularised was sold, as was much of the monastic land, sea, to form the Manor of Llandough for twenty manors of the Hundred of Dinas Powis, held by Crown family until purchased in 1670 by Lord Cardiff. Great House Farm thus presently embodies some of its earlier features, serving as the farmhouse of the estate. The entire site, therefore, and the ancient attribution, with its old Celtic cross still in situ, the sole relic of the ancient monastery, are all prime examples of religious sites of early Morganwg. Its historic value to the abandonment of the early monumental themes of Wales, signifies a precious loss, to the nation of our cultural heritage. WILLIAM REES. Penarth. 'Open day' to save ancient Welsh house By GODFREY FRANCIS HUNDREDS of people yesterday flocked to see an 800-year-old house, containing centuries-old furniture and china, which is in danger of being demolished by developers. The ten-roomed house, with magnificent oak beams and glorious views, at Llandough near Cardiff is being sold off by Mrs Mary Williams, 60, "to show what the nation is losing." Mrs Williams, a widow whose family first acquired by Mawr in the 12th century and has since lived there with her son, daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons. Mrs Williams said: "Planning permission to develop the land and build about 400 houses was given to Earlswood Road Development Trust by the former Glamorgan County Council. But I will refuse to sell because not only is my home is a part of the nation's heritage. Ownership dispute The ownership of the house has been in dispute for 33 years between the company and farmer Mr Billy Buckler. Plans to develop the land and build new house have angered local historical societies and about 1,000 people have signed a petition of protest. Mawr is believed to have been a dormitory home of 12 monks from a Celtic monastery. Its history has never been adequately chronicled but a theory that it was originally a coaching here or a castle has recently been disproved by discovery of remains of the castle beneath the dining room floor in the form of the remains of a soldier in armour, his horse, a lance and shield. ARTICLE 4: "History fight to save farm" Source: South Wales Echo Date: 3 Dec. 1988 Author: By PETER BIBBY --------------------------------------- History fight to save farm THE threatened farmhouse at the centre of an eviction row will be visited by historic buildings inspectors this weekend to see if it is worth saving from demolition. Officials from the Welsh monuments body, Cadw, confirmed today they are considering an appeal to ask the Secretary of State for Wales to protect Great House Farm, Llandough, near Cardiff Bay, as a listed building. Mr Buckler's family have been fighting a 33-year legal battle to prove they own the old farmhouse, parts of which could date back to the 12th Century. Injunction But after Law Lords appeal judges ruled in favour of BP Properties plus a year, the bailiffs moved in. Mr Buckler, a 39-year-old father of three, has been in Llandough Hospital since his eviction on Wednesday. BP said they intend to demolish the farmhouse and outbuildings on the 10-acre site overlooking Cardiff Bay and put in for planning permission to build new homes. The family claim that within hours of forcing their way in to their house, the bailiffs had begun the gun the demolition work and a High Court judge issued an interim injunction ordering that the farmhouse and its contents must not be touched. A spokeswoman for Cadw confirmed they were considering "spot-listing" the farmhouse in an emergency procedure in which any building which may be of architectural merit or historical interest can be protected. She said: "Any inspection has been taken on another case we both at this time and we are trying to move as quickly as possible." "He will be paying a visit to the farmhouse took at any records of the history of the case and discuss it with the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments." But Cadw may have set too last. On Monday-the High Court to consider the case for demolish Great House Farm, and if the Bucklers fail to have the order extended, the farmhouse could be razed to the ground within days. Razed Officials from Cadw also said the decision went against them and the Welsh historic monuments organisation decided to list the ancient family home Great House Farm was more than just a 'residence' or 'estate house.' But within hours of forcing where they had been for more than 400 years and my solicitors tell me I have a valid claim to it." Plans to develop the house have angered local historical societies and about 1,000 people have signed a petition of protest. Following the court hearing, Mrs Janet Harris, Mr Buckler's mother, said the farmhouse had been the family for four generations. "It is reputed to be 800 years old and they want to destroy it. They can destroy it on what is a whim." She forecast that "they will have it down as fast as they can now" and said their only hope was that it would accept it as a listed building. Western Mail 6 Dec. 1988 ARTICLE 5: "Farmer fails in final eviction hearing" Source: Western Mail Date: 6 Dec 1988 ---------------------------------------------------- Farmer fails in final eviction hearing A FAMILY'S long and bitter battle for an historic farmhouse appeared to be over yesterday when a High Court decision went against them and the Welsh historic monuments organisation decided to take no action. Mr William Buckler and his wife, Branwen, had been hoping to hang on to the reportedly 800-year-old Great House Farm at Llandough and its prime 10-acre site. But they lost the case that the question of ownership could not be decided by the European Court. Destroying But at a hearing in chambers a judge at Cardiff Crown Court dismissed an application to continue a temporary injunction to restrain BP Properties Ltd, the owners of the land, from destroying or damaging the fabric of the building. Mr Anthony Colin Ioyman, said after the hearing, "There are no more steps that can be taken now that the building can be knocked down." The attorney acting for the building was knocked down, there was little point seeking a declaration from the European Court that they could occupy the building. Following the court hearing, Mrs Janet Harris, Mr Buckler's mother, said the farmhouse had been in the family for four generations. "It is reputed to be 800 years old and they want to destroy it on what is a whim." She forecast that "they will have it down as fast as they can now" and said their only hope was that it would accept it as a listed building. Judge Norman Francis giving his ruling in open court said that after the Buckley's unsuccessful attempts to save to appeal to the European Appeals Committee ruling they had "exhausted remedies" available to them under the laws of England and Wales. The time for the European tribunal issue for the Court of Human Rights to consider and that the status quo as to the building should be preserved until it had been decided. Relief The judge said there seemed doubt whether the plaintiffs had acted in time for the European Commission to consider the case. "The fact is that nobody knows," he said. "My view is not apply to the Commission could not set up by interlocutory relief if would require the court in this country to grant an injunction to secure the effect of a judgment until the Court of Human Rights would rule on it." The battle for the farmhouse and estate has been waged for 33 years by the Buckler family. Western Mail 6 Dec 1988 ARTICLE 6: "From farm to a bus" Source: Newspaper clipping ------------------------------- From farm to a bus SOUTH Wales farmer Billy Buckler, whose home was demolished last year after a 40-year-old row over ownership, now plans to live in an old bus which is converting into a mobile home. Until December last year Mr Buckler and his family lived at Great House Farm, Llandough. But following a High Court hearing, BP Properties, the owners of the land, moved in and demolished the property. Since then Mr Buckler, his wife, Branwen and their three children have been living with his sister in Penarth. 'Now I've got to start from scratch again' By Peter Collins nitely. I have three children and my wife is expecting a baby. My sister cannot be expected to put up with that. "I shall just have to start from scratch. They have taken everything from me. I have no money and no livelihood." Mr Buckler claimed that £30,000 worth of his personal possessions had been taken from the Great House Farm site following the demolition. ARTICLE 7: "Charge against evicted farmer dropped" Source: Newspaper clipping --------------------------------------------------- Charge against evicted farmer dropped Billy Buckley — summons was "out of time" AN ALLEGATION that South Wales farmer Billy Buckler used threatening words and behaviour at his former home last year was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service at Barry magistrates court yesterday. Buckler, who lived at Great House Farm, Llandough, until it was demolished by the owners, BP Properties, in November last year, was alleged to have committed the offence in Llandough on April 29. Mr Jeff Clarke, prosecuting, told the court that the summons was now legally "out of time" and could not proceed. He was therefore withdrawing it. Buckler is due to appear in court again on February 3 to face charges of assault and wanton and furious driving at Great House Farm in November, last year. He is currently living at an address in Penarth and has been ordered by the court not to go within half a mile of the Great House Farm site. ARTICLE 8: "Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on" Source: Newspaper clipping Author: By ANDREW PENMAN ---------------------------------------------- Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on A FARMER who beat-off bailiffs with a chainsaw last night vowed to continue his defiant fight for his Cardiff home. "I am here to stay and I will fight this to the death," said Mr Bill Buckler after the four-hour siege. Yesterday's events began when five bailiffs and around 20 police officers arrived at Great House Farm, Llandough. Mr Buckler blocked the narrow drive with a car pulled the farmhouse doors and barred windows. Then he started the engine of the chainsaw and swore at the tractor. "Then they started smashing the doors with pickaxes. My children were right behind the door which they bashed through. "They grabbed the chainsaw and pulled it through the door. They cut it up (then). His distressed wife, Branwen, later left the house with the couple's three sons, Thomas, 3, and four Mr Buckler and several friends and tenants remained. The scenes were the latest episode in a battle between the Buckler family and BP Properties. A spokesman said he has been in the family for nearly 400 years, and remains adamant he is the owner, despite a court ruling in favour of the defendants. "I own this farm except the courtyard. They have got no claim over the farm except for what has been obtained through the courts. "They've got no documents for it. If it's theirs, why have I never seen a penny in rent for it. "A farm tenant claimed the latest facts up who brought about by the Cardiff Bay development. "This land would be worth a fortune with the Bay development. "That would be worth a fortune," said Mr Christopher Thompson. "Luxury houses could be built up here to overlook Cardiff Bay. The rich would prefer million poor tenants." A spokesman BP PLC in London said she regretted unpleasant events at the farm were regret. [Photo caption: • A defiant Mr Bill Buckler ... "I'm here to stay."] ARTICLE 9: (Duplicate of Article 8) ARTICLE 10: "Billy's unhappy family" Source: South Wales Echo, Saturday, December 3, 1988 Author: By JIM CLARKE -------------------------------------------------------- WHEN the bailiffs refused to let South Wales former Billy Buckler back into his family house they found him other nearby accommodation — a nearby rambling old farmhouse. But far from feeling thankful for this alternative venue, the eviction of Billy, his wife Branwen and their three young children has left him desolate and Amy has made another group of people being made homeless. Some of the tenants are unemployed and had their accommodation for less than £40 a week. Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council. One has been to abandon his girlfriend's flat in a nearby club and now others will have to abandon their stake in farm as a result of the eviction. Billy and Branwen have been in hospital ward recently, but we've all tried to get told and them and help them get back on their feet," said Chris Thompson. Karen Griffiths, aged 21. They are back on the bus in a nearby lay-by with their possessions they could carry out of the farm. "We've got no place to stay," said Terry, who has known Billy Buckler for years. Karen told how the other tenants of Great House Farm would go out on "wood runs" together, collecting fallen trees (with permission) which they chopped up and used to feed the open kitchen's Aga hops burnishes on Sully. Thirty-year-old Chris had just married a girl called Anne but had found an Allowance Scheme. Anne was doing really well and there was plenty of work coming in, but without a phone I've had it," he said. The bailiffs refused to comment on the allegations laid by the former tenants of the farm. [Photo caption: Karen Griffiths (left) and Terry Rayment with some of the others evicted from the farm: From the left, Melanie Thompson and her 20-month-old son Daniel, Rod Golding, a woman who wouldn't give her name and Martin Price.] Billy's unhappy family ARTICLE 11: Farm Floor Plan Source: Document dated 26 April 1974 & 12 December 1988 --------------------------------------------------------- GREAT HOUSE FARM. LLANDOUGH, (NR. PENARTH). ST 16817331 Late XVII cent. XVIII cent. XIX cent. A - Beams narrow chamfered. Ogee stops with torus. B - Beam narrow chamfered with rounded stop. C - Beam narrow chamfered, ogee stops. Scale: 1/100 House demolished Nov. 1988 H.J. Thomas 26 April 1974 & 12 December 1988. [Floor plan showing: DAIRY, HALL, KITCHEN, and other rooms with labeled beams A, B, C] ARTICLE 12: "Refusing medical check-up" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 30 April 1988 ------------------------------------------ ... check-up But Mr Buckler is refusing to leave the Great House Farm at Llan-dough near Cardiff for medical attention because he fears the bailiffs will return A dozen police officers were on the farm as the bailiffs tried to evict the Buckler family BP Properties ... Published: Saturday 30 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 13: "Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death'" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 24 March 1989 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ... Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death' FARMER BILLY Buckler vowed to continue his fight over the loss of his historic family home and more than 70 acres of land A FARMER WHO LOST his family home Great House Farm Llandough ... Published: Friday 24 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 14: "Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 23 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------------- ... and ask for advice or practical assistance COWBRIDGE RD WEST & AIRPORT Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty A FARMER who lost his family home at Great House Farm Llandough when the premises were demolished at the end of last year today admitted two ... Published: Thursday 23 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 15: "Buckler freed on bail" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 10 December 1988 ------------------------------------ ... wallet And I thought went to police they would have tried to get for killing Buckler aged 40 who lived with family at Great House Farm Llan-dough until was demolished by BP Properties this week was freed on bail by magistrates yesterday He faces charges ... Published: Saturday 10 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 16: "All I've got left" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 13 December 1988 --------------------------------- ... who lived at Great House Farm Llan-dough near Cardiff said: "All I've got left are the clothes stand up in" Mr Buckler evicted from the farmhouse by BP Properties who demolished the building a week later said: Farmer Buckler: I hope the ... Published: Tuesday 13 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 17: Additional Screenshot - "Branwen Buckler near the remains" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 21 December 1988 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ... Branwen Buckler near the remains of the farmhouse with children Amy Hywel and Rhys It was just like a wartime sight I WAS concerned to read the report head lined Bulldozed Before Breakfast (Echo December 6) How awful for the unfortunate Buckler family ... Published: Wednesday 21 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 18: "Demolition begins" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Monday 20 March 1989 -------------------------------- ... to the ground by BP Properties following a 30 year legal battle over ownership between the company and farmer Mr Billy Buckler The lorries moved onto the site at 730am today and the operation is likely to take several days Mr Buckler has been unable to ... Published: Monday 20 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 19: "Bid to stop BP Properties" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 09 December 1988 ---------------------------------------- ... a bid to stop BP Properties profiting from the demolition earlier this week an 800-year-old farmhouse on the outskirts of Cardiff A small group of Llan-dough villagers met local councillors last night to express their anger at the way BP had demolished ... Published: Friday 09 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 20: (Duplicate) "All I've got left" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 13 December 1988 -------------------------------------------- ... who lived at Great House Farm Llan-dough near Cardiff said: "All I've got left are the clothes stand up in" Mr Buckler evicted from the farmhouse by BP Properties who demolished the building a week later said: Farmer Buckler: I hope the ... Published: Tuesday 13 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 21: "Bail change for evicted farmer" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 06 January 1989 ---------------------------------------------- ... Bail change for evicted farmer EVICTED SOUTH Wales farmer Billy Buckler whose Llandough house was demolished late last year has had bail conditions changed on charges of assault criminal damage and wanton or furious driving Buckler aged 40 ... Published: Friday 06 January 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 22: "Vale of Glamorgan councillor and BP pensioner" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 07 December 1988 ------------------------------------------------------------- ... a Vale of Glamorgan coun- BY PETER COLLINS cillor and BP pensioner said the decision by BP Properties to flatten the buildings was "disgusting" He plans to write to them in protest Mr Billy Buckler's family had battled for 33 years to prove they owned ... Published: Wednesday 07 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 23: "Demolition workers move in" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 30 November 1988 ------------------------------------------ ... who forced their way into the 400-year-old Great House Farm at Llandough near Cardiff have already half the roof off one of the out-buildings But farmer's wife Mrs Branwen Buckler who fears BP Properties Ltd will now flatten the farmhouse and won the court ... Published: Wednesday 30 November 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 24: "Legal battle for two generations" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 29 April 1988 ----------------------------------------------- ... been waged for two generations of the Buckler family Mr Buckler's mother fought and lost three previous High Court cases claiming she was the rightful owner of the estate In 1974 BP Properties agreed to allow Mrs Buckler to remain in the farmhouse rent free ... Published: Friday 29 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 25: "Mrs Buckler Eviction" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 06 December 1988 ------------------------------------ ... d Mrs Buckler Eviction Her husband's family have been battling for more than 30 years to prove they owned the historic farmhouse at Llandough That fight came to an end yesterday afternoon in the High Court in Cardiff and within hours owners BP Properties ... Published: Tuesday 06 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 26: (Duplicate) "Harm charge farmer freed" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 24 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------- ... Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death' FARMER BILLY Buckler vowed to continue his fight over the loss of his historic family home and more than 70 acres of land A FARMER WHO LOST his family home Great House Farm Llandough ... Published: Friday 24 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 27: "High Court ruling and BP Properties demolition" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 02 December 1988 -------------------------------------------------------------- ... Monday when a summons against BP will be heard Mr Justice Anthony Evans has allowed the condition that Mrs Buckler should be able to go into the house and collect belongings as long as BP solicitors agree Overturn The Buckler family have petitioned to have ... Published: Friday 02 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 28: (Duplicate) "Buckler freed on bail" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 10 December 1988 ------------------------------------------------ ... wallet And I thought went to police they would have tried to get for killing Buckler aged 40 who lived with family at Great House Farm Llan-dough until was demolished by BP Properties this week was freed on bail by magistrates yesterday He faces charges ... Published: Saturday 10 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 29: "DRAMA SUCCESS - MP asks Lord Chancellor" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 12 May 1988 ------------------------------------------------------ ... DRAMA SUCCESS Somebody will ilbe warns farmer CARDIFF MP Alun Michael has asked the Lord Chancellor to look at the case of defiant farmer Bill Buckler who fought off baliffs with chainsaw keep his house And Mr Buckler -himself has warned that someone would ... Published: Thursday 12 May 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 30: "Legal action against BP Properties" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 11 February 1989 -------------------------------------------------- ... authorised their legal director to take action against the owners BP Properties Ltd to force them to tidy up the areo described by their planning chief as looking like battleground Bulldozers BP ordered the 400-y-eor-old building to be flattened just hours ... Published: Saturday 11 February 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 31: (Duplicate) "Refusing medical check-up" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 30 April 1988 ---------------------------------------------------- ... check-up But Mr Buckler is refusing to leave the Great House Farm at Llan-dough near Cardiff for medical attention because he fears the bailiffs will return A dozen police officers were on the farm as the bailiffs tried to evict the Buckler family BP Properties ... Published: Saturday 30 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 32: "Evicted farmer Bill Buckler taken from hospital" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 03 December 1988 -------------------------------------------------------------- ... cassette player EVICTED fanner Bill Buckler caught up in a 33-year wrangle over his South Wales home was taken from his hospital bed to face charges of assault on two bailiffs The 40-year-old farmer of Great House Farm Llandough had been in hospital for three ... Published: Saturday 03 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 33: (Duplicate) "Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 23 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ... and ask for advice or practical assistance COWBRIDGE RD WEST & AIRPORT Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty A FARMER who lost his family home at Great House Farm Llandough when the premises were demolished at the end of last year today admitted two ... Published: Thursday 23 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 34: "Angry scenes as farmer evicted - A bitter feud over rights that lasted 33 years" Source: Newspaper clipping (appears to be main feature article) Author: By Peter Bibby ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Angry scenes as farmer evicted A bitter feud over rights that lasted 33 years By Peter Bibby [This appears to be a comprehensive feature article with photos. The visible text discusses the eviction of the Buckler family from Great House Farm, showing photos of family members including children. The article details the 33-year legal dispute over ownership rights.] Action on farm Chernobyl mayor visits Britain [The full text of this larger article is partially visible but would require the complete image to transcribe accurately] END OF TRANSCRIPTION ================================================================ GREAT HOUSE FARM, LLANDOUGH - NEWSPAPER ARTICLES TRANSCRIPTION ================================================================ ARTICLE 1: "Tears flow as 800 year-old farm house is razed at last" Source: South Wales Echo ------------------------------------------------------------------- MRS BUCKLER comforts daughter Amy after their home is razed to the ground. Tears flow as 800 year-old farm house is razed at last. THE FINAL chapter in the saga of the disputed ownership of Great House Farm, Llandough ended early yesterday when a team moved in to demolish the 800-year-old farm house. But the Buckler family who have been fighting to keep the house have been told there was not a building left standing on the five acre site at Cardiff Bay. The demolition was watched by farmers' wife Branwen Buckler, and her three children who were staying in a nearby caravan after their family home was flattened earlier this week, just after they had lost the legal fight to remain in the house. A court had ruled that William Buckler and family had no right to remain in the house. Mr Buckler, who admitted not paying any rent for 33 years. And that was the end of the long road for the Bucklers and their fight to keep their home where their family had lived for 400 years. To the House of Lords. "Now we are left with no home, no plans, no income. My young son has just six months to come down the chimney now it has gone." [Photo caption: Mrs Buckler comforts daughter Amy after their home is razed to the ground.] ARTICLE 2: "Police wait outside the farmhouse during the four-hour showdown yesterday" Source: Newspaper clipping ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Police wait outside the farmhouse during the four-hour showdown yesterday. ARTICLE 3: "'Open day' to save ancient Welsh house" Source: Newspaper clipping Date: 12/1/74, 1600, 73 31 Author: By GODFREY FRANCIS -------------------------------------------------- Grievous id SIR—your proposal for the ultimate humiliation of the Great House Farm, Llandough would not wisely erase from memory the historical sites of Glamorgan which have special importance of the ancient Celtic monastery, a site of importance in the development of Christianity in Morganwg, need in early record with monasteries of St. Cadoc at Llancarfan and of St. Illtyd at Llantwit Major. The great church of Llanoughby was as monastic institution, enjoying this one-time monastic tradition. Detailed, yet tenuous in its heyday as a great collegiate institution, with its sub-endowments of worshipping the wood. In its decline, however presiding over a large community of Christian life were still important missioning centres in early Christianity in our region. The greater portion of this continue until the Norman conquest of Glamorgan when the monastery failed of its property was vested by the Lord of Glamorgan, in the Benedictine Abbey of Tewkesbury for services in beseeching being conducted. The benefactions of the Church of the Parish of Llandough, the revenues being regularly farmed out. The property of the site at Llandough remained appropriated to Tewkesbury until disposed with all its property to the Dissolution of the monasteries in the years 1536-39. The site at Llandough thus secularised was sold, as was much of the monastic land, sea, to form the Manor of Llandough for twenty manors of the Hundred of Dinas Powis, held by Crown family until purchased in 1670 by Lord Cardiff. Great House Farm thus presently embodies some of its earlier features, serving as the farmhouse of the estate. The entire site, therefore, and the ancient attribution, with its old Celtic cross still in situ, the sole relic of the ancient monastery, are all prime examples of religious sites of early Morganwg. Its historic value to the abandonment of the early monumental themes of Wales, signifies a precious loss, to the nation of our cultural heritage. WILLIAM REES. Penarth. 'Open day' to save ancient Welsh house By GODFREY FRANCIS HUNDREDS of people yesterday flocked to see an 800-year-old house, containing centuries-old furniture and china, which is in danger of being demolished by developers. The ten-roomed house, with magnificent oak beams and glorious views, at Llandough near Cardiff is being sold off by Mrs Mary Williams, 60, "to show what the nation is losing." Mrs Williams, a widow whose family first acquired by Mawr in the 12th century and has since lived there with her son, daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons. Mrs Williams said: "Planning permission to develop the land and build about 400 houses was given to Earlswood Road Development Trust by the former Glamorgan County Council. But I will refuse to sell because not only is my home is a part of the nation's heritage. Ownership dispute The ownership of the house has been in dispute for 33 years between the company and farmer Mr Billy Buckler. Plans to develop the land and build new house have angered local historical societies and about 1,000 people have signed a petition of protest. Mawr is believed to have been a dormitory home of 12 monks from a Celtic monastery. Its history has never been adequately chronicled but a theory that it was originally a coaching here or a castle has recently been disproved by discovery of remains of the castle beneath the dining room floor in the form of the remains of a soldier in armour, his horse, a lance and shield. ARTICLE 4: "History fight to save farm" Source: South Wales Echo Date: 3 Dec. 1988 Author: By PETER BIBBY --------------------------------------- History fight to save farm THE threatened farmhouse at the centre of an eviction row will be visited by historic buildings inspectors this weekend to see if it is worth saving from demolition. Officials from the Welsh monuments body, Cadw, confirmed today they are considering an appeal to ask the Secretary of State for Wales to protect Great House Farm, Llandough, near Cardiff Bay, as a listed building. Mr Buckler's family have been fighting a 33-year legal battle to prove they own the old farmhouse, parts of which could date back to the 12th Century. Injunction But after Law Lords appeal judges ruled in favour of BP Properties plus a year, the bailiffs moved in. Mr Buckler, a 39-year-old father of three, has been in Llandough Hospital since his eviction on Wednesday. BP said they intend to demolish the farmhouse and outbuildings on the 10-acre site overlooking Cardiff Bay and put in for planning permission to build new homes. The family claim that within hours of forcing their way in to their house, the bailiffs had begun the gun the demolition work and a High Court judge issued an interim injunction ordering that the farmhouse and its contents must not be touched. A spokeswoman for Cadw confirmed they were considering "spot-listing" the farmhouse in an emergency procedure in which any building which may be of architectural merit or historical interest can be protected. She said: "Any inspection has been taken on another case we both at this time and we are trying to move as quickly as possible." "He will be paying a visit to the farmhouse took at any records of the history of the case and discuss it with the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments." But Cadw may have set too last. On Monday-the High Court to consider the case for demolish Great House Farm, and if the Bucklers fail to have the order extended, the farmhouse could be razed to the ground within days. Razed Officials from Cadw also said the decision went against them and the Welsh historic monuments organisation decided to list the ancient family home Great House Farm was more than just a 'residence' or 'estate house.' But within hours of forcing where they had been for more than 400 years and my solicitors tell me I have a valid claim to it." Plans to develop the house have angered local historical societies and about 1,000 people have signed a petition of protest. Following the court hearing, Mrs Janet Harris, Mr Buckler's mother, said the farmhouse had been the family for four generations. "It is reputed to be 800 years old and they want to destroy it. They can destroy it on what is a whim." She forecast that "they will have it down as fast as they can now" and said their only hope was that it would accept it as a listed building. Western Mail 6 Dec. 1988 ARTICLE 5: "Farmer fails in final eviction hearing" Source: Western Mail Date: 6 Dec 1988 ---------------------------------------------------- Farmer fails in final eviction hearing A FAMILY'S long and bitter battle for an historic farmhouse appeared to be over yesterday when a High Court decision went against them and the Welsh historic monuments organisation decided to take no action. Mr William Buckler and his wife, Branwen, had been hoping to hang on to the reportedly 800-year-old Great House Farm at Llandough and its prime 10-acre site. But they lost the case that the question of ownership could not be decided by the European Court. Destroying But at a hearing in chambers a judge at Cardiff Crown Court dismissed an application to continue a temporary injunction to restrain BP Properties Ltd, the owners of the land, from destroying or damaging the fabric of the building. Mr Anthony Colin Ioyman, said after the hearing, "There are no more steps that can be taken now that the building can be knocked down." The attorney acting for the building was knocked down, there was little point seeking a declaration from the European Court that they could occupy the building. Following the court hearing, Mrs Janet Harris, Mr Buckler's mother, said the farmhouse had been in the family for four generations. "It is reputed to be 800 years old and they want to destroy it on what is a whim." She forecast that "they will have it down as fast as they can now" and said their only hope was that it would accept it as a listed building. Judge Norman Francis giving his ruling in open court said that after the Buckley's unsuccessful attempts to save to appeal to the European Appeals Committee ruling they had "exhausted remedies" available to them under the laws of England and Wales. The time for the European tribunal issue for the Court of Human Rights to consider and that the status quo as to the building should be preserved until it had been decided. Relief The judge said there seemed doubt whether the plaintiffs had acted in time for the European Commission to consider the case. "The fact is that nobody knows," he said. "My view is not apply to the Commission could not set up by interlocutory relief if would require the court in this country to grant an injunction to secure the effect of a judgment until the Court of Human Rights would rule on it." The battle for the farmhouse and estate has been waged for 33 years by the Buckler family. Western Mail 6 Dec 1988 ARTICLE 6: "From farm to a bus" Source: Newspaper clipping ------------------------------- From farm to a bus SOUTH Wales farmer Billy Buckler, whose home was demolished last year after a 40-year-old row over ownership, now plans to live in an old bus which is converting into a mobile home. Until December last year Mr Buckler and his family lived at Great House Farm, Llandough. But following a High Court hearing, BP Properties, the owners of the land, moved in and demolished the property. Since then Mr Buckler, his wife, Branwen and their three children have been living with his sister in Penarth. 'Now I've got to start from scratch again' By Peter Collins nitely. I have three children and my wife is expecting a baby. My sister cannot be expected to put up with that. "I shall just have to start from scratch. They have taken everything from me. I have no money and no livelihood." Mr Buckler claimed that £30,000 worth of his personal possessions had been taken from the Great House Farm site following the demolition. ARTICLE 7: "Charge against evicted farmer dropped" Source: Newspaper clipping --------------------------------------------------- Charge against evicted farmer dropped Billy Buckley — summons was "out of time" AN ALLEGATION that South Wales farmer Billy Buckler used threatening words and behaviour at his former home last year was withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service at Barry magistrates court yesterday. Buckler, who lived at Great House Farm, Llandough, until it was demolished by the owners, BP Properties, in November last year, was alleged to have committed the offence in Llandough on April 29. Mr Jeff Clarke, prosecuting, told the court that the summons was now legally "out of time" and could not proceed. He was therefore withdrawing it. Buckler is due to appear in court again on February 3 to face charges of assault and wanton and furious driving at Great House Farm in November, last year. He is currently living at an address in Penarth and has been ordered by the court not to go within half a mile of the Great House Farm site. ARTICLE 8: "Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on" Source: Newspaper clipping Author: By ANDREW PENMAN ---------------------------------------------- Chainsaw farmer vows to fight on A FARMER who beat-off bailiffs with a chainsaw last night vowed to continue his defiant fight for his Cardiff home. "I am here to stay and I will fight this to the death," said Mr Bill Buckler after the four-hour siege. Yesterday's events began when five bailiffs and around 20 police officers arrived at Great House Farm, Llandough. Mr Buckler blocked the narrow drive with a car pulled the farmhouse doors and barred windows. Then he started the engine of the chainsaw and swore at the tractor. "Then they started smashing the doors with pickaxes. My children were right behind the door which they bashed through. "They grabbed the chainsaw and pulled it through the door. They cut it up (then). His distressed wife, Branwen, later left the house with the couple's three sons, Thomas, 3, and four Mr Buckler and several friends and tenants remained. The scenes were the latest episode in a battle between the Buckler family and BP Properties. A spokesman said he has been in the family for nearly 400 years, and remains adamant he is the owner, despite a court ruling in favour of the defendants. "I own this farm except the courtyard. They have got no claim over the farm except for what has been obtained through the courts. "They've got no documents for it. If it's theirs, why have I never seen a penny in rent for it. "A farm tenant claimed the latest facts up who brought about by the Cardiff Bay development. "This land would be worth a fortune with the Bay development. "That would be worth a fortune," said Mr Christopher Thompson. "Luxury houses could be built up here to overlook Cardiff Bay. The rich would prefer million poor tenants." A spokesman BP PLC in London said she regretted unpleasant events at the farm were regret. [Photo caption: • A defiant Mr Bill Buckler ... "I'm here to stay."] ARTICLE 9: (Duplicate of Article 8) ARTICLE 10: "Billy's unhappy family" Source: South Wales Echo, Saturday, December 3, 1988 Author: By JIM CLARKE -------------------------------------------------------- WHEN the bailiffs refused to let South Wales former Billy Buckler back into his family house they found him other nearby accommodation — a nearby rambling old farmhouse. But far from feeling thankful for this alternative venue, the eviction of Billy, his wife Branwen and their three young children has left him desolate and Amy has made another group of people being made homeless. Some of the tenants are unemployed and had their accommodation for less than £40 a week. Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council. One has been to abandon his girlfriend's flat in a nearby club and now others will have to abandon their stake in farm as a result of the eviction. Billy and Branwen have been in hospital ward recently, but we've all tried to get told and them and help them get back on their feet," said Chris Thompson. Karen Griffiths, aged 21. They are back on the bus in a nearby lay-by with their possessions they could carry out of the farm. "We've got no place to stay," said Terry, who has known Billy Buckler for years. Karen told how the other tenants of Great House Farm would go out on "wood runs" together, collecting fallen trees (with permission) which they chopped up and used to feed the open kitchen's Aga hops burnishes on Sully. Thirty-year-old Chris had just married a girl called Anne but had found an Allowance Scheme. Anne was doing really well and there was plenty of work coming in, but without a phone I've had it," he said. The bailiffs refused to comment on the allegations laid by the former tenants of the farm. [Photo caption: Karen Griffiths (left) and Terry Rayment with some of the others evicted from the farm: From the left, Melanie Thompson and her 20-month-old son Daniel, Rod Golding, a woman who wouldn't give her name and Martin Price.] Billy's unhappy family ARTICLE 11: Farm Floor Plan Source: Document dated 26 April 1974 & 12 December 1988 --------------------------------------------------------- GREAT HOUSE FARM. LLANDOUGH, (NR. PENARTH). ST 16817331 Late XVII cent. XVIII cent. XIX cent. A - Beams narrow chamfered. Ogee stops with torus. B - Beam narrow chamfered with rounded stop. C - Beam narrow chamfered, ogee stops. Scale: 1/100 House demolished Nov. 1988 H.J. Thomas 26 April 1974 & 12 December 1988. [Floor plan showing: DAIRY, HALL, KITCHEN, and other rooms with labeled beams A, B, C] ARTICLE 12: "Refusing medical check-up" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 30 April 1988 ------------------------------------------ ... check-up But Mr Buckler is refusing to leave the Great House Farm at Llan-dough near Cardiff for medical attention because he fears the bailiffs will return A dozen police officers were on the farm as the bailiffs tried to evict the Buckler family BP Properties ... Published: Saturday 30 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 13: "Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death'" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 24 March 1989 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ... Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death' FARMER BILLY Buckler vowed to continue his fight over the loss of his historic family home and more than 70 acres of land A FARMER WHO LOST his family home Great House Farm Llandough ... Published: Friday 24 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 14: "Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 23 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------------- ... and ask for advice or practical assistance COWBRIDGE RD WEST & AIRPORT Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty A FARMER who lost his family home at Great House Farm Llandough when the premises were demolished at the end of last year today admitted two ... Published: Thursday 23 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 15: "Buckler freed on bail" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 10 December 1988 ------------------------------------ ... wallet And I thought went to police they would have tried to get for killing Buckler aged 40 who lived with family at Great House Farm Llan-dough until was demolished by BP Properties this week was freed on bail by magistrates yesterday He faces charges ... Published: Saturday 10 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 16: "All I've got left" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 13 December 1988 --------------------------------- ... who lived at Great House Farm Llan-dough near Cardiff said: "All I've got left are the clothes stand up in" Mr Buckler evicted from the farmhouse by BP Properties who demolished the building a week later said: Farmer Buckler: I hope the ... Published: Tuesday 13 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 17: Additional Screenshot - "Branwen Buckler near the remains" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 21 December 1988 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ... Branwen Buckler near the remains of the farmhouse with children Amy Hywel and Rhys It was just like a wartime sight I WAS concerned to read the report head lined Bulldozed Before Breakfast (Echo December 6) How awful for the unfortunate Buckler family ... Published: Wednesday 21 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 18: "Demolition begins" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Monday 20 March 1989 -------------------------------- ... to the ground by BP Properties following a 30 year legal battle over ownership between the company and farmer Mr Billy Buckler The lorries moved onto the site at 730am today and the operation is likely to take several days Mr Buckler has been unable to ... Published: Monday 20 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 19: "Bid to stop BP Properties" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 09 December 1988 ---------------------------------------- ... a bid to stop BP Properties profiting from the demolition earlier this week an 800-year-old farmhouse on the outskirts of Cardiff A small group of Llan-dough villagers met local councillors last night to express their anger at the way BP had demolished ... Published: Friday 09 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 20: (Duplicate) "All I've got left" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 13 December 1988 -------------------------------------------- ... who lived at Great House Farm Llan-dough near Cardiff said: "All I've got left are the clothes stand up in" Mr Buckler evicted from the farmhouse by BP Properties who demolished the building a week later said: Farmer Buckler: I hope the ... Published: Tuesday 13 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 21: "Bail change for evicted farmer" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 06 January 1989 ---------------------------------------------- ... Bail change for evicted farmer EVICTED SOUTH Wales farmer Billy Buckler whose Llandough house was demolished late last year has had bail conditions changed on charges of assault criminal damage and wanton or furious driving Buckler aged 40 ... Published: Friday 06 January 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 22: "Vale of Glamorgan councillor and BP pensioner" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 07 December 1988 ------------------------------------------------------------- ... a Vale of Glamorgan coun- BY PETER COLLINS cillor and BP pensioner said the decision by BP Properties to flatten the buildings was "disgusting" He plans to write to them in protest Mr Billy Buckler's family had battled for 33 years to prove they owned ... Published: Wednesday 07 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 23: "Demolition workers move in" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Wednesday 30 November 1988 ------------------------------------------ ... who forced their way into the 400-year-old Great House Farm at Llandough near Cardiff have already half the roof off one of the out-buildings But farmer's wife Mrs Branwen Buckler who fears BP Properties Ltd will now flatten the farmhouse and won the court ... Published: Wednesday 30 November 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 24: "Legal battle for two generations" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 29 April 1988 ----------------------------------------------- ... been waged for two generations of the Buckler family Mr Buckler's mother fought and lost three previous High Court cases claiming she was the rightful owner of the estate In 1974 BP Properties agreed to allow Mrs Buckler to remain in the farmhouse rent free ... Published: Friday 29 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 25: "Mrs Buckler Eviction" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Tuesday 06 December 1988 ------------------------------------ ... d Mrs Buckler Eviction Her husband's family have been battling for more than 30 years to prove they owned the historic farmhouse at Llandough That fight came to an end yesterday afternoon in the High Court in Cardiff and within hours owners BP Properties ... Published: Tuesday 06 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 26: (Duplicate) "Harm charge farmer freed" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 24 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------- ... Harm charge farmer freed 'I will fight on to the death' FARMER BILLY Buckler vowed to continue his fight over the loss of his historic family home and more than 70 acres of land A FARMER WHO LOST his family home Great House Farm Llandough ... Published: Friday 24 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 27: "High Court ruling and BP Properties demolition" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Friday 02 December 1988 -------------------------------------------------------------- ... Monday when a summons against BP will be heard Mr Justice Anthony Evans has allowed the condition that Mrs Buckler should be able to go into the house and collect belongings as long as BP solicitors agree Overturn The Buckler family have petitioned to have ... Published: Friday 02 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 28: (Duplicate) "Buckler freed on bail" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 10 December 1988 ------------------------------------------------ ... wallet And I thought went to police they would have tried to get for killing Buckler aged 40 who lived with family at Great House Farm Llan-dough until was demolished by BP Properties this week was freed on bail by magistrates yesterday He faces charges ... Published: Saturday 10 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 29: "DRAMA SUCCESS - MP asks Lord Chancellor" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 12 May 1988 ------------------------------------------------------ ... DRAMA SUCCESS Somebody will ilbe warns farmer CARDIFF MP Alun Michael has asked the Lord Chancellor to look at the case of defiant farmer Bill Buckler who fought off baliffs with chainsaw keep his house And Mr Buckler -himself has warned that someone would ... Published: Thursday 12 May 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 30: "Legal action against BP Properties" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 11 February 1989 -------------------------------------------------- ... authorised their legal director to take action against the owners BP Properties Ltd to force them to tidy up the areo described by their planning chief as looking like battleground Bulldozers BP ordered the 400-y-eor-old building to be flattened just hours ... Published: Saturday 11 February 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 31: (Duplicate) "Refusing medical check-up" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 30 April 1988 ---------------------------------------------------- ... check-up But Mr Buckler is refusing to leave the Great House Farm at Llan-dough near Cardiff for medical attention because he fears the bailiffs will return A dozen police officers were on the farm as the bailiffs tried to evict the Buckler family BP Properties ... Published: Saturday 30 April 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 32: "Evicted farmer Bill Buckler taken from hospital" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Saturday 03 December 1988 -------------------------------------------------------------- ... cassette player EVICTED fanner Bill Buckler caught up in a 33-year wrangle over his South Wales home was taken from his hospital bed to face charges of assault on two bailiffs The 40-year-old farmer of Great House Farm Llandough had been in hospital for three ... Published: Saturday 03 December 1988 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 33: (Duplicate) "Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty" Source: South Wales Echo Date: Thursday 23 March 1989 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ... and ask for advice or practical assistance COWBRIDGE RD WEST & AIRPORT Evicted farmer freed after pleading guilty A FARMER who lost his family home at Great House Farm Llandough when the premises were demolished at the end of last year today admitted two ... Published: Thursday 23 March 1989 Newspaper: South Wales Echo County: Glamorgan, Wales ARTICLE 34: "Angry scenes as farmer evicted - A bitter feud over rights that lasted 33 years" Source: Newspaper clipping (appears to be main feature article) Author: By Peter Bibby ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Angry scenes as farmer evicted A bitter feud over rights that lasted 33 years By Peter Bibby [This appears to be a comprehensive feature article with photos. The visible text discusses the eviction of the Buckler family from Great House Farm, showing photos of family members including children. The article details the 33-year legal dispute over ownership rights.] Action on farm Chernobyl mayor visits Britain [The full text of this larger article is partially visible but would require the complete image to transcribe accurately] END OF TRANSCRIPTION ================================================================ ================================================================================ APPENDED MISSING RESEARCH & DISCREPANCY NOTES ================================================================================ Compiled from: National Archives Discovery, NLW Bute Estate Records, BAILII BP v Buckler [1987] EWCA Civ 2, People's Collection Wales, Glamorgan Record Office finding aids, British History Online ================================================================================ --- DISCREPANCY NOTES ON EXISTING CONTENT --- [A] LINE 3 — "1215 – Great House Farm House was built" DISCREPANCY: Multiple sources (Wikipedia, RCAHMW, People's Collection Wales) attribute the construction to Sir Mathew Cradock (died 1531), not 1215. The house is described as "Late C15 or early C16 hall house" in the British Listed Buildings entry (Grade II, ref 15765). CORRECTION: c.1500–1530 construction date is more defensible than 1215. [B] LINE 16 — "1667 – Williams family in occupation (family claim)" DISCREPANCY: This is family oral tradition supported by a 1980s newspaper article quoting Mrs Mary Williams. There is NO surviving registered title or conveyance from 1667. The Bute Estate Records (NLW D 219) show the Herbert/Pembroke/Bute estate treating itself as manorial lord through at least 1829. The 1667 date should be treated as "claimed possession" not "proved ownership." [C] LINE 164 — "1935–39 - Says online Mr. William Dies around this time" DISCREPANCY: This contradicts the BP v Buckler judgment itself, which states Mr Williams and his wife Mrs Esther Williams were "also living there in 1955, but they died." If Mr Williams was born circa 1860-1870 (to be "elderly" by the mid-1930s and to have a daughter Mary who was an adult by 1916), death in 1955 at age ~85 is consistent. The "1935-39" death date appears to be an error. [D] LINE 170 — "This 1938 sale might be the moment the Paper Title was severed" DISCREPANCY: The BP v Buckler judgment (paragraph 36) states: "In 1938 the reversion on that tenancy was conveyed to a company called Western Ground Rents Ltd." This was NOT a sale of the farm — it was the sale of the REVERSION on the existing yearly tenancy. The Williams/Buckler family continued in physical occupation. The 1938 Stephenson & Alexander sale (DSA/6/1158) may reference a different transaction. These two events may be the same or different — archival verification needed. [E] LINE 303 — "October 1964: The agricultural tenancy officially came to an end" DISCREPANCY: The court judgment timeline shows: Feb 1916 tenancy to Williams; Williams fell into arrears mid-1930s and late 1940s; new yearly tenancy granted Feb 2, 1949 to Frederick Buckler; protected by Agricultural Holdings Act; notice to quit expiring Feb 2, 1955. The "October 1964" date has no basis in the court records. [F] LINE 227-228 — Western Ground Rents mentions "Ideal Homes Wales Ltd" DISCREPANCY: The 1987 Court of Appeal judgment does NOT mention Ideal Homes. WGR is described simply as the company to which "the reversion on that tenancy was conveyed" in 1938. The "Ideal Homes" reference is unsupported. [G] LINE 474-477 — "Ghost License" argument NOTE: The court did NOT find that the licence expired upon Mrs Williams' death in 1983. Dillon LJ held that a licence had been granted to "Mrs Buckler" which defeated the adverse possession claim. The "Ghost License" framing is a rhetorical argument, not an accepted legal finding. [H] LINE 1014 — "purchased in 1670 by Lord Cardiff" DISCREPANCY: The accepted history is that John, Lord Mountstuart married Charlotte Windsor in 1766 and the Bute family acquired the Glamorgan estates then. The 1670 date in the Godfrey Francis letter may refer to a different transaction or may be an error. [I] LINE 249-250 — DXJF/64/30-31 filed under Corbett Family of Cogan Pill NOTE: These items are sketches by Mrs. Nancy Buckler of Great House Farm, Llandough. That they are filed under the Corbett collection suggests a custodial relationship worth investigating, but the "squatter vs. historical authority" argument based on this is speculative. [J] LINE 142 — "In 1790 the building was purchased by Lord Bute" VERIFIED: Wikipedia, British Listed Buildings, and RCAHMW all confirm this. Aligns with accepted history. --- MISSING EVIDENCE THAT SHOULD BE APPENDED --- [K] THE PEOPLE'S COLLECTION WALES PHOTOGRAPH (CRITICAL) Reference: https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/871416 Description: "A black and white photograph of tree planting by John Williams (Grandfather) to prove land ownership at Great House Farm, Llandough." Significance: This is CRITICAL primary evidence. John Williams performed a ceremonial tree planting as physical proof of possession — a common Welsh folk practice where planted trees served as permanent markers of tenure. The tree planting appears to have occurred circa 1916, around the time the Marquis formalised the yearly agricultural tenancy. This photograph should have been entered as evidence in the 1987 case. [L] ARCHIVAL HOLES — SPECIFIC GAPS IN THE BUTE ESTATE RECORDS FOR LLANDOUGH 1. Manorial records (NLW GB 0210 BUTE): [1373]-1847. NOTHING for Llandough manorial court after 1847. 2. Glamorgan estate rentals: 1728-1893. No rental records for Great House Farm after 1893. 3. Cardiff estate rentals: 1842-1895. Gap after 1895. 4. Estate correspondence: Mainly 1817-1863. Virtually nothing for post-1900 Llandough matters. 5. Family settlements: [early 17th cent.]-1902. None after 1902. 6. Family probate: 1612-1900. Nothing after 3rd Marquis's death. 7. DBDT collection: Contains Llandough Street leases (DBDT58/1, 58/2 — both 1883) but NOTHING on the Great House Farm tenancy of 1916. CONCLUSION: The documentary gap runs c.1895-1938 for the Llandough/ Great House Farm area. The 1916 tenancy to John Williams falls in the dead centre of this gap. [M] FULL JUDGMENT SOURCE BP Properties Ltd v Buckler [1987] EWCA Civ 2 https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1987/2.html Key paragraphs: 36 (1916 tenancy), 38 (Great House Farm at Llandough), 39 (Dillon LJ judgment). [N] NATIONAL ARCHIVES DISCOVERY REFERENCES GB 0210 BUTE — Bute Estate Records (NLW Aberystwyth) GB 0214 DA — Glamorgan Estate of Lord Bute (Glamorgan RO) GB 0214 DBDT — Debenham Tewson – Bute records (Glamorgan RO) GB 0214 DRA — Deeds and family papers (Glamorgan RO) GB 0214 DPL — Plymouth Estate maps and papers (Glamorgan RO) [O] ADDITIONAL SOURCES NOT YET CONSULTED 1. NLW Schedule of Bute Estate Records (hard copy, Aberystwyth) 2. Glamorgan Record Office Handlist for DBDT (on-site, Cardiff) 3. Davies, John. "Cardiff and the Marquesses of Bute" (1981) 4. Cadw listing records — was listing applied pre-demolition for GHF? 5. Vale of Glamorgan Council planning archives — 1974/1988 applications [P] THE "TWO LLANDOUGHS" ISSUE 1. Llandough juxta Penarth (near Cardiff) — Great House Farm 2. Llandough near Cowbridge (Llandough Castle area) The 1938 Stephenson & Alexander sale (DSA/6/1158) may relate to the Cowbridge Llandough, not the Penarth one. VERIFY THIS. --- EVIDENCE STRENGTH ASSESSMENT --- STRONG: • BP v Buckler judgment (1987) — Feb 1916 tenancy confirmed • NLW catalogue entries — archival gap confirmed • National Archives Discovery — DBDT references confirmed • BAILII full text — freely accessible MODERATE: • Wikipedia Llandough, Penarth — consistent with multiple sources • People's Collection Wales tree planting photo — primary, undated exactly • British History Online — 1793 Bute purchase confirmed • Davies (1981) — not yet fully consulted WEAK: • 1667 Williams acquisition — family claim only • Daniel Thomas / Williams deal — family testimony only • Marconi / Williams connection — family tradition only • "Cedfin" identification — treated cautiously UNVERIFIED (requires archival research): • 1938 Stephenson & Alexander sale — needs original source • Lambert Williams deeds (D160/1-4) — needs Glamorgan RO • Mrs Nancy Buckler sketches (DXJF/64/30-31) — needs Glamorgan RO • Cadw pre-listing status — needs Cadw records ================================================================================ END OF APPENDED NOTES ================================================================================