Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Descending Steps From Watch House
Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Portmeirion, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, designated on 14 January 1971.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Domestic
- Date of designation
- 14 January 1971
- Locality
- Portmeirion
- Community
- Penrhyndeudraeth
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.91290, -4.09837
- Cadw reference
- 4867
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
Descending dramatically down the wooded cliff to the shore line.
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.
The descending walls, turrets and steps from Watch House were built in 1927 in emulation of similar features seen by CWE in Mediterranean military and monastic architecture.
Exterior
Sequence of steep walled steps and small towers of Mediterranean inspiration built onto exposed rock. The walls are of rubble, externally painted white; the towers have hipped red pantile roofs. The steps begin at Watch house and descend in an irregular zig-zag down the steep wooded slope with parapet wall to the downward side. Roughly half-way down is the first roofed structure. This is in the form of a square diminutive gate tower, and has a round-arched entrance to the front with horizontal rectangular light above and slit light diagonally to the L. Here the steps turn a right-angle and pass through a short sloped section wall to the NE via a further arched entrance with simple slatted iron gate. The steps continue to corkscrew downwards to pass through a second, similar structure with open, loggia-type upper section; this has round supporting columns and a corbel course below. The steps emerge below this via a similar arched opening and continue through a final half-gated arch within a walled enclosure on the shore-line; small boiler house structure to the L.
Reason for designation
Listed as an unusual and highly succesful architectural descent; one of a number of buildings and structures designed 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
- Aedicular Niche to the N of the Swimming PoolGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- Watch HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Government HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Campanile (Also Called The Bell Tower)Domesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.