Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Battery
Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Defence
- Date of designation
- 14 January 1971
- Locality
- Portmeirion
- Community
- Penrhyndeudraeth
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.91322, -4.09823
- Cadw reference
- 4870
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
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "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).
Cadw's description
Location
In the centre of Battery Square, between Toll house and Prior's Lodging.
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.
Built in 1927 in Kentish vernacular style, Battery appears as `Block C' on a plan dated 21st March 1927. One of the earliest of the buildings at Portmeirion. The Chart Room, on the ground floor, served as a garage space until 1953.
Exterior
Three-storey house in weather-boarded vernacular style with rendered ground floor; pitched slate roof brought down to L and R over lean-to blocks, though with near-flush facade; lain rendered chimney. Asymmetrical elevations, that to the front, facing Battery square, with a slightly-recessed lean-to section to the L; this has a parapeted L-shaped stair giving access to the first floor, the whole covered by a wide arch. The main block, to the R has a narrow arched entrance off-centre to the R with recessed boarded door; small 4-pane window beyond. L of the entrance is a 12-pane sash wih external shutters and a lunette window to its L. Further 12-pane shuttered sash to the first floor L, with small, square, 4-pane windows to the R; similar second-floor window with taller, 6-pane flanking windows.
Nine-pane sashes to the weather-boarded rear elevation, those to the ground floor in tripartite windows with narrow 4-pane outer sections. Partly-recessed terrace to the first floor L, with plain railings. A lower storeyed projection to the L has irregular roof pitches and a canted bay to the ground floor; this contains the Chart Room; 12-pane sashes, with lunette windows to the ground floor L as before.
Reason for designation
Listed as a distinctive and early village building in Kentish vernacular style; 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
- Monument in Battery SquareGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- Prior's LodgingDomesticunder 1 mi
- Toll House (Including Pilot House)Commercialunder 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.