Description:

The Drawing Room from Urishay Castle photographed here had a chequered history. It was first sold c.1913 as architectural salvage to Marshall Fields Limited in Chicago , USA , as a display setting for their antique furniture department. It was subsequently sold and displayed at the Chicago Art Institute, before being acquired and gifted to Baker University in Baldwin City , Kansas . There it has been carefully preserved and now features as part of their library buildings, where it contains a collection of rare bibles.

We are most grateful to the faculty and management of Baker University who took these photographs for us and gave us permission to publish them along with a variety of other material they made available concerning the room and its provenance. This is all accessible from the index page of the Baker University Collection on this website.

Ewyas Lacy Study Group

Sketch of Urishay Castle Manor House and moat in 1865

Plaque in the Urishay Room at Baker University , Baldwin City , Kansas , USA

The reconstructed Urishay Castle Drawing Room at Baker University

The reconstructed Urishay Castle Drawing Room at Baker University

The reconstructed Urishay Castle Drawing Room at Baker University

The reconstructed Urishay Castle Drawing Room at Baker University

Fireplace and overmantel

Fireplace and overmantel, with adjacent panelling

Fireside Pilaster

Detail of carving on the fireside pilaster and mantelpiece

Carved overmantel with bust of John Wesley in the centre alcove

Left overmantel panel carving

Left overmantel statuette

Right overmantel panel carving

Right overmantel statuette

Carved pilaster and finial

Detail of carved finial

Window surround with stained glass panes;

shelves have replaced the original leaded lights that were underneath

Chandelier [not original to the room] with window in the background

Original leaded light window panes

Pair of stained glass window panes with coats of arms

Pair of stained glass window panes with coats of arms

Pair of stained glass window panes with coats of arms

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of the Welsh Kingdom of Deheubarth

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of the Delahay family, Lords of the Manor of Urishay

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of Owain Gwynedd, a Welsh prince

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of the Welsh Kingdom of Morganwg

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of Owain Glyndwr and the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd

Detail of stained glass panes: Arms of Gruffydd ap Cynan, a Welsh prince

Observations:

It has been claimed that the stained glass photographed above is not original to Urishay Castle but may be the work of an American stained glass artist Charles J. Connick (1875-1945), commissioned by Marshall Fields when they put the room on display at their Chicago store. See citation here.

Peter Leek wrote to us in July 2024 with further insights into the history of the panelling. He describes his family's role in the salvage, preservation and sale of the oak panelling at Urishay Castle as follows:

My great grandfather was William Leek, a stud groom who was born in The Leys, Barewood, near Pembridge, Herefordshire in 1867.  William was only 15 years old when his father passed so, as eldest son, became the head of the household.  His young brother, James Henry (Jim) Leek was only 3 at the time.  At the age of 15 Jim was given a £10 non-refundable bond by his elder brother to train as an ironmonger and be provided with “meat, drink, washing, lodging, and all other necessaries and two shillings weekly”.  
On completion of his apprenticeship in 1899 Jim volunteered to serve in the Boer War in the Royal Army Medical Corps. In the early 1900’s Jim moved from Merthyr to Peterston-super-Ely where he met his wife to be, Gwen David.  Jim married and moved to Court Street, Tonypandy where he changed his name to Leeke and ran a small ironmongery business in the front room with a smithy at the rear for sharpening tools.  The shop grew into what became a timber and builders merchant, ironmongers and leather dealers.
Jim’s strengths lay in wheeling and dealing and with considerable foresight he began to build up property holdings in the Golden Valley area of his native Herefordshire.  In 1919 he bought the dilapidated Urishay Castle from a bankrupt Swedish match manufacturer for £300.  He made a sizeable profit selling its oak panelling to the McAlpine family who then sold it to an American buyer. From the proceeds Jim purchased land at Kerry’s Gate in 1925 and completed building of two houses and four bungalows in the early thirties. An additional bungalow was built at Hazeldene and Longwood Farm was leased from its Caerphilly-based owner.  One of the houses near Kerry’s Gate built by Jim was Oakdene Court which became the family home for a number of years.