Gregynog
Preserving heritage for a digital futureA place where magic happens
Gregynog is one of Wales’ most unexpected treasures. A historic house set in 750 acres in the heart of Montgomeryshire filled with history, culture, nature and stories.
Following an identity refresh by Marc Jennings and Jo Lilford, Gregynog required a digital presence to match. Their existing website was dated, hard to navigate, difficult to read and failed to capture the magical essence or scale of the historic venue and its grounds.
Gregynog website before Hybrid Studio:
From paintings to planets to the printing press
Famed as the former home of art collectors and benefactors Gwendoline and Margaret Davies (below). The Davies sisters lived at Gregynog from 1924 and turned it into an important centre for music, the arts and fine printing.
They decorated the house with their priceless collection of paintings by Renoir, Monet, Cezanne and many others. In the 1930s music festivals were held at Gregynog, attended by famous musicians such as Gustav Holst.
The Gregynog Press started up in the early 1920s and became one of the leading printers and publishers of fine books in Britain.
Services we provided
Visit
gregynog.org
You just can’t beat being there
To truly understand Gregynog, we took a trip to immerse ourselves in its unique atmosphere and experience it first–hand..
Our trip was blessed with beautiful, sunny, autumn weather and we were privileged to see some of the more historic parts of the house, explore the grounds and fully appreciate its beauty and tranquility. You can immediately sense why Gregynog has long been a haven for inspiring creative minds.
Finding hidden treasure
During our visit, we were shown some recently rediscovered and unused, spectacular drone footage of the house and grounds. We edited and added to this archive material to create a cinematic video feature for the website and social channels, instantly communicating Gregynog’s breathtaking heritage.
Printing pioneers
The Gregynog Press was unique in that everything was created under one roof – design, typography, illustration, printing and binding.
In 1999 the press was commissioned to produce the inaugural document for the opening of the National Assembly for Wales. In celebration of the first instrument of Welsh government for more than 600 years.
Building for the future not the present
Gregynog has grand ambitions for the future. Being in a remote rural location, having a high quality digital platform with which it can maximise outreach and build for the future is critical.
We designed and built a highly accessible, fully bilingual and responsive website that balances historical storytelling with modern functionality.
The website features a far more intuitive user journey and enhanced readability, improved colour use and layout to meet modern accessibility standards.
Promoting and selling events
An integrated WordPress Content Management System (CMS) enables the client to effortlessly promote Gregynog as a venue for weddings and conferences while also selling tickets for live events and concerts.
We also integrated a secure, seamless online donation gateway to support the estate’s ongoing preservation.
The result
With improved accessibility and usability the site accommodates a much broader audience. Improved flexibility in the CMS means Gregynog can manage content easily and without fear of breaking the brand style. New donation and payment integrations automates administration and provides new income streams.
Gregynog now has a digital home that empowers it to grow sustainably into the future.
Main image, family and dog walking image © Darryl Owen Photography. Harpist image © Huw John.
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