xvii] RESIDENCE AT NEATH 245 



Our chief work in 1 846 was the survey of the parish of 

 Llantwit-juxta-Neath, in which we lived. The agent of the 

 Gnoll Estate had undertaken the valuation for the tithe com- 

 mutation, and arranged with me to do the survey and make 

 the map and the necessary copies. When all was finished and 

 the valuation made, I was told that I must collect the pay- 

 ment from the various farmers in the parish, who would after- 

 wards deduct it from their rent. This was a disagreeable 

 business, as many of the farmers were very poor ; some could 

 not speak English, and could not be made to understand what 

 it was all about ; others positively refused to pay ; and the 

 separate amounts were often so small that it was not worth 

 going to law about them, so that several were never paid at 

 all, and others not for a year afterwards. This was another 

 of the things that disgusted me with business, and made me 

 more than ever disposed to give it all up if I could but get 

 anything else to do. 



We also had a little building and architectural work. A 

 lady wanted us to design a cottage for her, with six or seven 

 rooms, I think, for .£200. Building with the native stone 

 was cheap in the country, but still, what she wanted was 

 impossible, and at last she agreed to go to £250, and with 

 some difficulty we managed to get one built for her for this 

 amount. We also sent in a design for a new Town Hall 

 for Swansea, which was beyond our powers, both of design 

 and draughtsmanship ; and as there were several established 

 architects among the competitors, our very plain building and 

 poor drawings had no chance. But shortly afterwards a 

 building was required at Neath for a Mechanics' Institute, 

 for which £600 was available. It was to be in a narrow side 

 street, and to consist of two rooms only, a reading room and 

 library below, and a room above for classes and lectures. We 

 were asked to draw the plans and supervise the execution, 

 which we did, and I think the total cost did not exceed the 

 sum named by more than £50. It was, of course, very plain, 

 but the whole was of local stone, with door and window- 

 quoins, cornice, etc., hammer-dressed ; and the pediments over 

 the door and windows, arched doorway, and base of squared 



