Descending Steps From Watch House

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.