Public body · FOI
37 posts · 2026
Public authority under FOIA and the EIR. Escalation: Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW). Court: Administrative Court (judicial review). Correspondence: 37 emails (17 sent, 20 received).
📍 Checked in at: Internal review (FOI)
Next step (forecast): s.50 complaint, 26 Oct 2026
Every option used up (forecast): 29 March 2028
No public statements found yet; the record below involves them.
The family confirms they want records only on the c.1880 ironwork find at Great House Farm/Tŷ Mawr, Llandough-juxta-Penarth, listing variant names to search, and asks for a section 16 cost-limit steer if needed.
“I am seeking records relating specifically to the c.1880 discovery at Great House Farm / Tŷ Mawr, Llandough-juxta-Penarth”
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Requests clarification on the scope of the ironwork search before proceeding and places the request on hold.
The family asks us to reconcile our 'not held' answers with two published sources stating medieval ironwork from Great House Farm, Llandough, found c.1880, is in the National Museum's collections.
“it is likely that some medieval ironwork which is held by the National Museum of Wales was discovered under the rear wing c 1880”
Seen ✓ · answered 20 Oct 2026
We explain our search covered Great House Farm, Ty Mawr Farm, Llandough and related place names, included the earliest Cardiff Museum accession registers, and confirm no further search log is held.
“searches of the earliest accession registers encompass the former Cardiff Museum accession records, which became part of the National Museum of Wales collection without re-accessioning”
The family asks what search terms and systems were used to assess scope for FOI 2026-024, and whether predecessor records from the former National Museum of Wales or GGAT were included.
“what search terms and systems were used to reach that conclusion, and whether any predecessor records”
Seen ✓ · answered 16 Oct 2026
We confirm no separate record exists explaining why certain finds were excluded from FOI 2026-024; staff judged they did not relate to the reported discovery, and nothing is being withheld.
“staff concluded that those records did not relate to the specific discovery described in your request and therefore fell outside its scope”
We confirm no exclusion schedule exists, reclassify MS 3360/3 as outside scope since it concerns a different property in the Parish of Llanfair, and maintain our earlier answer on Ref 13.2's location.
“it relates to a holding in the Parish of Llanfair and not to Great House Farm/Tŷ Mawr, Llandough (near Penarth/Cardiff)”
I ask for the recorded basis used on 25 August 2026 to classify certain Great House Farm and Church Farm finds as unrelated or out of scope, or confirmation none exists, and confirmation that all August search results have now been disclosed or justified by exemption.
“The recorded basis (search log, file note, email or other document) that led the Museum to treat the already-found Great House Farm / Church Farm records as unrelated or out of scope”
Seen ✓ · answered 12 Oct 2026
The family presses Amgueddfa Cymru for the specific systems and physical files checked before calling the exclusion schedule 'not held', asks whether MS 3360/3 identifies which Llandough is meant, and queries the Ref 13.2 waterwheel location.
“Please state which systems were searched for that schedule (collections database, search-export, review log, email, paper file) and whether a physical file was retrieved”
Seen ✓ · answered 12 Oct 2026
We confirm no catalogue record identifies Great House Farm within MS 3360/3 beyond the one page already disclosed, and no further recorded information on this exists; we have nothing further to add.
“No further recorded information relating to Great House Farm has been identified within the material held under reference MS 3360/3”
We hold no separate filtered schedule of excluded search results, but confirm MS 3360/3 records Great House as part of the 1924 Llandough Estate sale, occupied by W.G. Thomas & Sons, about 202 acres, in the Parish of Llanfair, homestead in the Village of Llandough; Ref 13.2 is catalogued as a waterwheel from Llandough Farm (opposite hospital).
“Great House" formed part of the Llandough Estate sale particulars of 1924, was occupied by W.G. Thomas & Sons, comprised approximately 202 acres, was situated in the Parish of Llanfair”
I ask you to supply a filtered schedule excluding Cowbridge/Llandow entries from FOI 2026-032, confirm the parish and holding details for the MS 3360/3 page, and state whether Ref 13.2 relates to the Penarth site or the demolished farmhouse.
“You have not stated, item by item, which of the earlier schedule entries are now excluded”
Seen ✓ · answered 7 Oct 2026
I accept your distinction that Ref 13.2 refers to the separate Llandough Farm, not Great House Farm, and ask whether the MS 3360/3 page or plan itself records any further identifier distinguishing which historical Llandough is meant.
“Does the MS 3360/3 page or plan itself contain any further recorded identifier which identifies which historical Llandough is meant”
Seen ✓ · answered 7 Oct 2026
Following further enquiries for FOI 2026-036, we identify two additional records: a waterwheel collected from Llandough Farm in 1979 (Ref 13.2) and a page from the 1924 Llandough Estate sale document (MS 3360/3); no other Great House Farm records were found.
“No further records relating specifically to Great House Farm / Ty Mawr / Llandough Farm, Llandough were identified”
We confirm our collections system does not group records by similar place names and hold no recorded information linking the two Llandough farms, nor any separate record explaining the earlier conclusion that certain finds were unrelated.
“we do not hold any separate recorded information explaining the basis on which staff concluded that the identified records were unrelated”
We apologise and confirm that our response to FOI 2026-036 is expected by 6 October.
“we aim to provide a response by 6th October”
I thank you for the FOI 2026-032 disclosure but flag that some records relate to a different, same-named Great House Farm near Cowbridge/Llandow, ask for cross-attribution records, record preservation, and a response date for FOI 2026-036.
“Please treat the Cowbridge / Llandow entries as out of scope for this request unless you hold recorded information showing they were, at any time, indexed, cited, or treated as if they related to Great House Farm, Llandough”
Seen ✓ · answered 28 Sep 2026
We have completed the internal review of FOI 2026-024 and find the original location-based search methodology reasonable and proportionate, rejecting the request for broader search terms such as Roman or military burial references.
“the relevant issue is not whether every conceivable search term has been used, but whether the authority has undertaken searches that are reasonable and proportionate”
We disclose records on other archaeological discoveries at Great House Farm and Church Farm, Llandough under FOI 2026-032, with third-party personal data redacted under section 40(2), plus public reference links.
“We have identified a number of records relating to archaeological discoveries recorded at Great House Farm and Church Farm, both at Llandough”
I explain my distrust of institutions based on past poor FOI/SAR handling elsewhere, and describe the family's ordeal over the farmhouse's demolition and disputed land history, seeking facts rather than opinion.
“I'm just trying to get answers for my family and to understand what exactly happened in a fact find and on an evidence basis”
Seen ✓ · answered 22 Sep 2026
The Museum's internal review upholds the original finding that it holds no records of furniture or movable property from Great House Farm, confirming the general records found were outside the request's scope and searches were adequate.
We propose treating FOI 2026-036 as replacing FOI 2026-032, closing the latter unless you object within a few working days; the internal review of FOI 2026-024 stays separate.
“our intention is to treat FOI:2026-036 as replacing FOI:2026-032 and to close FOI:2026-032 accordingly”
We confirm FOI 2026-032 will stay open and be processed separately from FOI 2026-036, clarifying our earlier merge suggestion was purely administrative; the FOI 2026-024 review continues independently.
“FOI:2026-032 will remain open and will be processed separately from FOI:2026-036”
The family submits a new request for a full schedule of all records linked to Great House Farm/Ty Mawr and related Church Farm finds, plus any 1875-1915 records of ironwork, armour, a visor, lance or helmet from Llandough.
“it is likely that some medieval ironwork which is held by the National Museum of Wales was discovered under the rear wing c 1880”
Seen ✓ · answered 8 Sep 2026
I reject the internal review of FOI 2026-024 as inadequate, arguing it fails to identify records already found or to answer specific questions about which archived systems were searched, and I raise related new points.
“The review does not do so.”
Seen ✓ · answered 8 Sep 2026
I object to closing or merging FOI 2026-032 into FOI 2026-036, insisting the internal review of FOI 2026-024 and both FOI requests remain three separate matters, though I would accept one combined response letter under conditions.
“I do not agree that FOI:2026-032 should be closed or treated as replaced.”
Seen ✓ · answered 8 Sep 2026
The Museum accepts the internal review request for FOI 2026-024, aiming to conclude within 20 working days, and registers the request about other archaeological discoveries as a new case, FOI 2026-32, due by 23 September 2026.
The family requests an internal review, arguing the Museum searched too narrowly around a 'medieval' description instead of the underlying 19th-century discovery, and asks for details of the other Great House Farm finds the Museum mentioned but withheld.
“it is not sufficient simply to conclude internally that they are unrelated without disclosing what those discoveries are”
Seen ✓ · answered 26 Aug 2026
The Museum states it holds no records of a visor, lance, helmet or armour, or of the reported discovery of a soldier and animal remains at Great House Farm, though unrelated archaeological finds from Church Farm and the same site were located.
The Museum reports extra searches across collections systems, archived IT records and multiple databases using terms like Great House Farm, Ty Mawr and Buckler, finding only general material but nothing on furniture, provenance or correspondence within scope.
“no information was identified concerning furniture, furnishings, antiques, fixtures, heirlooms or other movable property”
The family requests an internal review, asking the Museum to detail the general Great House Farm information found, clarify which archived systems and date ranges were searched, and confirm whether correspondence archives were checked.
“whether the searches undertaken have fully addressed the scope of my original request”
Seen ✓ · answered 14 Aug 2026
We confirm that after searching our collections systems we hold no records of furniture, furnishings, antiques, fixtures, heirlooms or other movable property from Great House Farm, Llandough, though archaeological finds remain a separate matter under a different request.
“Amgueddfa Cymru has not identified any furniture, furnishings, antiques, fixtures, heirlooms or other movable property recorded as originating from Great House Farm”
The family asks the Museum to clarify exactly which systems, archives and search terms were used, whether searches covered provenance and correspondence files beyond accessioned objects, and requests advice on other authorities that might hold relevant records.
Seen ✓ · answered 3 Aug 2026
We acknowledge your Freedom of Information request on Great House Farm, Llandough, received 27 July, and aim to respond by the statutory deadline of 24 August 2026 under reference 2026/024.
“We therefore aim to provide a response by 24th August 2026”
I request under the Freedom of Information Act and EIR any records on the acquisition, accession or provenance of a medieval visor, lance, helmet or armour said to have been found with human and horse remains beneath the Great House Farm, Llandough dining room floor, plus related reburial and excavation records.
“the remains of a soldier and his horse were discovered beneath the floor”
Seen ✓ · answered 27 Jul 2026
We note the request was addressed to Cardiff Council with us copied in, and ask you to confirm whether you intended it to be made to Amgueddfa Cymru as well.
“Please confirm whether you intended this request to be made to Amgueddfa Cymru as well”
I confirm the request is intended for the museum too, and explain that my family's claim to the land was never extinguished, that Great House Farm was my birthplace, and that I was present when we were dispossessed and it was demolished in 1988.
“This land is my birthplace and I am the heir and successor to the claim”
Seen ✓ · answered 13 Jul 2026
