This is a list of notable buildings and structures in the village of Portmeirion, in Gwynedd, northwest Wales. Portmeirion was created as an Italianate village by the architect, Clough Williams-Ellis, who bought the Aber Iâ mansion and its estate in 1925 as the location for his project. He built his eccentric, eclectic village between 1925 and 1975.[1] He also bought the nearby Castell Deudraeth in 1931.

Allegedly inspired by the colourful buildings of Portofino in Italy, many of Portmeirion's buildings were built on a tight budget, using salvaged and re-used materials.[2] In 1971, forty of the fifty main buildings gained a Grade II heritage listing, one of the first examples of this happening for a still living architect.[3]

The village is now a tourist destination with over 200,000 visitors a year.[1]

Listed buildings

Image Name Date completed Description Listing
Portmeirion Town Hall (Hercules Hall) 1938 An imposing two-storey building in a 17th-century style, the Town Hall incorporates large amounts of dressed stone and a vaulted plasterwork ceiling salvaged from Emral Hall in Flintshire. These were bought at auction by Williams-Ellis. The vaulted ceiling depicts the Labours of Hercules (as well as the signs of the Zodiac) which give the building its alternative name of Hercules Hall.[4] Grade I
Campanile
(Bell Tower)		 1928 Described as the most significant building in the village, the tower is seven storeys in height, construction began in 1925 with the intention of it being a focal point.[5] The tower is in a Baroque style, incorporating stone from a nearby 12th-century castle and a chiming clock from a London brewery.[6] Grade II*
The Colonnade 1959
(original c. 1760)		 Originally a bath stone colonnade, part of the Arnos Court bathhouse in Bristol dating from circa 1760. The bathhouse was damaged during World War II, Williams-Ellis acquired the Colonnade and erected it in Portmeirion. A portrait head of Williams-Ellis was added by sculptor Jonah Jones.[7] Grade II*
Anchor 1936 Four storey 'Mediterranean' style building, though tucked into a cliff and accessed from the road at the top floor.[8] Attached to (and forms a pair with) Fountain (1937). Fountain is the yellow building in the picture. Grade II
Angel 1926 [9] Grade II
The Arches 1964 Originally staff accommodation and garages, it became a shop in 1965.[10] Grade II
Bandstand and Hercules Steps 1961 A single storey classical loggia, though originally designed to house the village electricity substation underneath. Three flights of broad stone steps adjacent.[11] Grade II
Battery 1927 A three-storey house with Kent vernacular weatherboarding to the facade. Originally called 'Block C', the ground floor was originally used as a garage.[12] Grade II
The Belvedere 1960 A simple classical 2-storey house, which incorporates stained glass from Castell Deudraeth.[13] Grade II
Bridge House 1959 One of the gatehouses to Portmeirion, a two-storey building over a tunnel arch.[12] Grade II
Casino 1926 Listed together with the Amis Reunis boat, the Casino loggia is part of the seafront terrace in front of the Portmeirion Hotel.[14] Grade II
Castell Deudraeth 1700s A mansion on the Portmeirion Estate, bought by Clough Williams-Ellis in 1931. Reopened after extensive renovation in 2001.[15] Grade II
Chantry 1937 [16] Grade II
Chantry Lodge 1969 Built as an office and reception building.[17] Grade II
Chantry Row 1963 [18] Grade II
Chinese Gateway and steps 1961 A single storey pavilion in a Chinese style with an 'oriental' metal roof. Attached walls, railings and flight of stairs are also listed.[19] Grade II
Cliff House 1969 A Georgian style house to the east of the village, with facades of three bays.[20] Williams-Ellis shows his love of visual tricks, with the windows on one side of the house being false, purely to retain symmetry.[2] Grade II
Corrugated iron shelter 1950s [21] Grade II
Dolphin 1934 A large 3-storey building with the south elevation facing the River Dwyryd estuary.[22] Grade II
Dovecote 1800s A pre-existing circular rubble dovecote associated with the original Aber Iâ mansion.[23] Grade II
Former Tollhouse 1950s [24] Grade II
Fountain 1937 Three-storey house with a flat roof, adjacent to Anchor.[25] Fountain is the pink-washed house to the right of the Anchor in the image. Grade II
The Gatehouse 1955 An imposing 2-storey gatehouse over a tunnel arch. It was the first post-war building and includes a ceiling mural painted by German artist, Hans Feibusch.[26] Grade II
The Gazebo 1983 Built to mark the centenary of Clough William-Ellis's birth, the Gazebo was built to designs by his daughter, Susan.[27] Grade II
Gloriette 1965 An imposing classical loggia, named after the building that inspired it at Schoenbrunn Palace, Vienna.[28] Grade II
Gothick Pavilion 1966
(original c. 1815)		 Originally a porch for Nerquis Hall in Flintshire, it was relocated to Portmeirion with amendments by Williams-Ellis.[29] Grade II
Government House 1929 Built as overspill accommodation for the hotel, Government House is a large building of two sections, one of three storeys and the other of two storeys.[30] Grade II
Portmeirion Hotel c. 1850 Formerly known as the mansion of Aber Iâ, the building and its grounds were bought in 1925 by Williams-Ellis as the focus for his new village.[31] Grade II
Ladies Lodge 1939 Originally a garage, the building was converted to be used as a shop.[32] Grade II
The Lighthouse 1963 [33] Grade II
Mermaid c. 1840 Originally a gardener's cottage for the Aber Iâ mansion, Williams-Ells decorated it in a Regency-Gothic style.[34] Grade II
Neptune 1926 [35] Grade II
Observatory Tower 1937 [36] Grade II
The Pantheon and addition 1961 Also known as the Dome, due to its large octagonal dome surmounted by a cupola. on the southwest side is a large Gothic porch and to the rear is a single storey extension.[37] Grade II
Prior's Lodging 1929 The two-storey building forms part of Battery Square and is named after its first tenant, the Prior of the Monastery of Caldy.[38] Grade II
Rotunda and Grotto 1954 Built as a circular viewing platform, but containing a shell grotto lined with scallop shells and conches.[39] Grade II
Round House and arch 1960 [40] Grade II
Salutation c. 1842-1858 Originally the stable block and lodge for the Aber Iâ mansion. Later used as a shop selling Portmeirion Pottery[41] and as a general gift shop. Grade II
Shelter and statue of Buddha 1964 Gold painted statue of Buddha (used for the 1958 film Inn of the Sixth Happiness) housed in a circular shelter with a decorative ballustrade and a pantiled roof.[42] Grade II
Telford's Tower, walls and arches 1958 A three-storey tower with a single storey range, built to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Thomas Telford.[43] Grade II
Trinity 1934 A three-storey Georgian-style building, originally with garages underneath.[44] Lately used as a shop. Grade II
The Unicorn 1964 An elegant, classical building, deliberately built much smaller to give an impression of a grand stately home from a distance.[45] Grade II
Villa Winch 1967 A two-storey domestic building behind the Chantry, built for Clough-Ellis's friend, Captain Henry Winch.[46] Grade II
Watch House 1926 A small cottage-like single-storey building, behind Dolphin, facing towards the sea.[47] Grade II
White Horses 1700s/1966 An eighteenth-century cottage with a 1966 extension by Williams-Ellis. Attached to the Observatory Tower.[48] Grade II

Other listed structures

Image Name Date completed Description Listing
Amis Reunis 1930 A recreation in concrete, now part of the sea wall, of a 70-ton Breton trading ketch. Williams-Ellis incorporates elements from the original boat.[14][49] Grade II
Angel Gates (Hercules Gate) c. 1937 Dated 1908 but erected opposite the Town Hall prior to the completion of that building.[50] Grade II
Astrolabe – Metal astrolabe, on top of a Tuscan stone column set on a terracotta octagonal base.[51] Grade II
Hercules Statue 1960 (cast c. 1863) Statue by William Brodie, erected on a tall stone pedestal in the current site in 1960.[52] Grade II
Monument in Battery Square – Statue of an eagle, on top of a stone ball finial, atop an iron column.[52] Grade II
Wall adjoining Bridge House early 1800s An 19th century wall associated with the Aber Iâ mansion.[53] The listed walling is visible both in the left of the picture, and in the centre-right (between the rock outcrop and the rear of Bridge House). Grade II

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Portmeirion in 'authentic top 50'". Wales Online. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  2. 1 2 Williams, Mark (20 December 2021). "Preserving Portmeirion: a piece of Italy in Wales". Modus. RICS. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Haslam, Richard; Orbach, Julian; Voelcker, Adam (2009). Buildings of Wales - Gwynedd. Yale University Press. p. 687. ISBN 978-0-300-14169-6.
  4. ↑ "Portmeirion Town Hall". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  5. ↑ Jones, Nigel R. (2005). Architecture of England, Scotland, and Wales. Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0313318504. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "Campanile (Also Called The Bell Tower)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "The Colonnade". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Anchor". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ↑ "Angel". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Arches". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Bandstand and Adjoining Flight of Descending Steps (the Hercules Steps)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Battery". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "The Belvedere, Including Associated Terraces". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Sea-front Terrace Incorporating the Casino and Amis Reunis". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  15. ↑ "Castell Deudraeth". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  16. ↑ "Chantry". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  17. ↑ "Reception (Chantry Lodge)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  18. ↑ "Chantry Row". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "Chinese Gateway, Steps and Railings to Anchor, Including Associated Wall with Enclosure to N". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  20. ↑ "Cliff House Including Annex". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  21. ↑ "Corrugated Iron Shelter". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  22. ↑ "Dolphin (Including Royal Dolphin)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  23. ↑ "Dovecote Above Portmeirion Hotel". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "Former Tollhouse (Now Public Telephone Kiosk)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  25. ↑ "Fountain". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "The Gatehouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  27. ↑ "The Gazebo". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  28. ↑ "Gloriette". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  29. ↑ "Gothick Pavilion". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  30. ↑ "Government House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  31. ↑ "Portmeirion Hotel". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  32. ↑ "Ladies Lodge (Siop Bach)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  33. ↑ "The Lighthouse". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  34. ↑ "Mermaid". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  35. ↑ "Neptune". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  36. ↑ "Observatory Tower". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  37. ↑ "The Pantheon Including Addition to the Rear". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  38. ↑ "Prior's Lodging". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  39. ↑ "Rotunda or Grotto". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  40. ↑ "Round House Including Adjoining Arch and Walkway". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  41. ↑ "Salutation". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  42. ↑ "Statue of Buddha". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  43. ↑ "Telford's Tower, Including Adjoining Walls and Arches". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  44. ↑ "Trinity House Including Adjacent Petrol Pump". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  45. ↑ "The Unicorn". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  46. ↑ "Villa Winch". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  47. ↑ "Watch House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  48. ↑ "White Horses". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  49. ↑ Tom Nancollas (2023), "Anchor - Amis Reunis", The Ship Asunder - A Maritime History Of Britain in Eleven Vessels, Penguin, ISBN 9780241434154
  50. ↑ "Angel Gates (Hercules Gate)". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  51. ↑ "Astrolabe". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  52. 1 2 "Hercules Statue". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  53. ↑ "C19 Wall Adjoining Bridge House to the E". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
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