However, the current earl, thankfully, does not share his forbear's distain for Llansteffan Hall. Frankly, the costs involved with the upkeep of their former seat, Castledown House, however grand and imposing, would be enough to frighten even the most stalwort of custodians.
Gone are the days when The Earl of Kingston relied upon 170,000 acres held primarily in, what then was British Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire, to bring in huge amounts of revenue to fund his estates, staff and building endeavours. George, the current Lord Kingston, being married to a Welsh speaking "100% Celt" (as she would have it), and having two bilingual children (who proclaim to be Welsh above all else, and who are first language Welsh speakers ) is am reminded daily that his "illustrious" forebears' wealth and elevated position removed them from reality - removed them from the sheer suffering and endurance of their tenants. On their comparatively modest estate, they make the welfare of their farmers and their families their first and foremost priority: "without whom, we would not be here" Lady Kingston maintains... "it is as simple as that." The Trevelyan-St Goerges have striven to build egalitarian relationships of trust, equinimity and value.
Set in 9000 acres of mixed farmland on Carmarthenshire's south coast, Llanseffan Hall became the
main seat of the Trevelyan-St Georges over 120 years ago, when the family moved in its entirity from Ireland. Being an Anglo-Irish Protestant family in Ireland towards the end of the Victorian era, the Kingstons made a decision to leave, having sold the lion's share of their land to the former tenants and townsfolk in and around Co. Kildare and Co. Cork.
The 11th Earl of Kingston (yet another George), his wife, Alice and their only child, Edward, the then Viscount Kingsborough (the current earl's father), moved into the careworn and all but forgotten Welsh household which had been neglected for over 100 years. It is thanks to their foresight that Llansteffan Hall houses a great number of nationally important paintings, furniture, ceramics and silver - a great deal of which is on permanent loan to institutions such as The National Portrait Gallery, The National Gallery, The V&A as well as to more local museums, such as The Museum of Welsh Life in St Fagans.
The Kingston Guilded Silver Collection on display at The V&A
"It was my father, Edward, who worked endlessly until his death in 1976, who first introduced the concept of diversification to our working farms," comments Lord Kingston. "It was he who started shooting, hunting and fishing initiatives in order that the estate started paying its way. My mother also was a resourceful innovator - organising fundraising events such as cookery classes, as well making and selling her infamous 'Wool Fat Soap' which was well received in such far afield places as Arizona and Alice Springs! However, as well as farming, it is my father's diversification which is the mainstay of the current estate; hosting over 100 sporting events every year" maintains the current earl.