A descendant of the Routh family, which commissioned Sion House, Tenby's Nash villa, will be speaking at the next meeting of the Tenby Historical Society. Sion House, built in 1790, represented an important stage in the development of John Nash, the Prince Regent's favourite architect. Built for William Routh, a Bristol printer, as a holiday home, Sion House was much changed before being burnt down in 1938. Croft Court now stands on the site.
There was conflict and controversy from the outset. Nash had provided inadequate coach access from the Norton and the arrangement with Tenby Town Council to overcome the problem led directly to the duel, 50 years later, at which Henry Mannix, the then owner of Sion House, shot William Richards, the Mayor of Tenby, in the groin.
Recent research by Stella Pedersen has uncovered new insights into this incident concerned with various attempts by the Richards family to acquire Sion House after William Routh died.
Stella Pedersen, who is descended from the Routh family of Bristol, has researched the background to the building of Sion House and its early history. She will share the results of her research with members of the Tenby Historical Society on Tuesday, April 28. The meeting will be at 7.30 in Tenby Bowling Club in Sutton Street; visitors are welcomed.