Art collections & antiques at Penrhyn

Joan Bayliss

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"I'm Joan, and I'm the Property Manager here at Penrhyn Castle. So, what can I tell you about this magical place? It's enormous and takes some looking after, that's for certain!

Penrhyn Castle was the footballer's mansion of yesteryear. It was built in the nineteenth century by wealthy industrialists who wanted to show off their wealth. And that's exactly what they did.

Today, its role is very different. We've worked hard to make it a great place for families. The castle's crammed with thousands of fascinating items, including a one-ton slate bed made for Queen Victoria, mock-Norman furniture, and one of the finest art collections in Wales. But learning's our big thing. We run education programmes on all things Victoriana and World War Two. There's also a railway museum in the stable blocks. For us, it's about inspiring new audiences and new generations, helping people young and old to love this wonderful place as much as we do.

So, while our conservation team's quite small, there's plenty to do. Our focus for the future is to develop what we care for and get more and more people involved. That's why we need a forward-looking Conservation Services Manager. We don't want to stand still, simply conserving what we already have. We want to make the whole experience relevant and exciting for new audiences. I see the role as being a bridge linking the Operations on the ground and the specialist service providers. We need someone who can understand and bring together different specialists – conservation, buildings, land use – creating an exciting, enriching experience. So, we're looking for a leader, a people person, not an autocrat."