30/9/2005

A final year History and Archaeology student at the University of Wales, Bangor is about to publish his fifth book. Mark Baker, 20, of Prestatyn, is an acknowledged expert on Gwrych Castle and Hafodunos Hall in north Wales, both important historic buildings in need of conservation.

Hafodunos Hall Triumph of the Martyr is a history of one of the most important historical buildings at risk in Wales. The country house in Llangernyw was the finest example of Victorian Gothic domestic architecture in Wales. Mark's book will be published to mark the first anniversary of the fire that gutted the building on October 14 2004.

"There are so many ways that you can talk about Hafodunos," says Mark, "The building played a key part in the cultural history of north Wales during the nineteenth century. The building is the only Welsh domestic example of the work of renowned architect George Gibson Scott, who designed the Albert Memorial. It housed the largest collection of sculpture by Welsh sculptor John Gibson. The gardens were influenced by advice from Sir Williams Jackson Hooker of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and included an arboretum and plant collection. The house itself
was in the hands of the Sandbach family for a century and has had a chequered history since the 1930s."

Mark's interest in Hafodunos was sparked during his student work placement at Gwydir, another historic house in Llanrwst. While gaining experience of how to manage a country house, he discovered that Gwydir's archive had many documents relating to Hafodunos.

Mark is very much involved in preservation of historic houses, and has spoken of his campaigns and concerns to Prime Minister Tony Blair and Prince Charles. He is the author of several books on Gwrych Castle, near Abergele, and is founder of the Gwrych Castle Preservation Fund a registered charity for which he is Secretary.

Of Gwrych, which is in a dire state of dereliction and to be auctioned, he says: "Auctioning such a building is not the answer as this gives no guarantee of its future. I believe the building should be in some form of public ownership. It is a historically and architecturally important building and has been given European status for its importance."

Mark published his first book at the age of 13. Hafodunos Hall Triumph of the Martyr is published by Mark himself and is available at local book shops and distributed nationally as well as via Amazon, the internet retailer.

His other books areThe Rise & Fall of Gwrych Castle, The Ghosts of Gwrych Castle, A Pictorial History of Gwrych Castle, and Winifred Countess of Dundonald ~ A Biography. And to be published later this year is Buildings and Gardens at Risk in Wales.