Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Neo-Jacobean Gateway and Adjoining Walls to the NE of the Central Piazza
Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Portmeirion, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, designated on 23 August 2002.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces
- Date of designation
- 23 August 2002
- Locality
- Portmeirion
- Community
- Penrhyndeudraeth
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.91376, -4.09899
- Cadw reference
- 26867
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1896 · Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Defining the Central Piazza on the NE side, between the Gloriette and the Bristol Colonnade.
History
Portmeirion was designed and laid out by the celebrated architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978) following his purchase of the estate, then called Aber Iâ, in 1926. The village evolved over several decades and was still being added to in the 1970s.
These walls partly date from the mid 1930s and defined the central village space which at that time was partly occupied by a tennis court. The area was restructured between 1964 and 1965 when the Gloriette and Central Piazza were created; the C19 Jacobean-style arch appears to have been erected as part of this remodelling.
Exterior
Rubble wall, approimately 2m high on the road side and 3m high on the Piazza side; connecting the Gloriette with the Colonnade. At a short distance to the E of the Gloriette the wall is punctuated by a well-detailed neo-Jacobean archway, with rusticated arch having entablature with strapwork cartouche over and flanking obelisk finials. A flight of 8 stone slab steps leads down to the Central Piazza through the archway from the road. The walls slope up to the arch on either side and have stone surmounting ball finials at their highest point. Between this archway and the Colonnade to the SE is a break in the wall with a wrought-iron balcony and flanking square piers; these are surmounted by stone ball finials.
Reason for designation
Listed as one of a number of buildings and structures erected by the eminent architect and conservationist Sir Clough Williams-Ellis for his visionary Portmeirion villiage.
Group value with other listed items at Portmeirion.
Nearby in the register
- GlorietteDomesticunder 1 mi
- Telford's Tower, Including Adjoining Walls and ArchesCommemorativeunder 1 mi
- Central PiazzaGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- ChantryCivilunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.