Portmeirion, Gwynedd
The Town
Portmeirion, in Gwynedd, North Wales, is truly unique – just ask your Recoco property finder. Created by architect Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 to 1976, and now owned by a charitable trust, the village lies on the estuary of the River Dwyryd, at the foot of Mount Snowdon.
Our property search company may suggest that part of Portmeirion’s quirky charm is the juxtaposition between the Welsh landscape (and weather!) and the Italianate architecture. Our buyers agent can confirm the entire village is, effectively, a hotel complex.
If you’re contemplating a property search in the area, nearby settlements are Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog. Our property buying agent will also be happy to show you Portmeirion.
Transport
Wondering about rail links? Your Recoco buying agent can point you towards the nearest railway station, Minffordd, a mile away. As our real estate buyers agent can attest, the village and gardens typically welcome over 200,000 visitors each year.
History
The remains of a medieval castle lie in the woods just outside the village. Our Recoco property finder can tell you it’s variously been known as Castell Aber, Castell Deudraeth, and Castell Gwain Goch.
Williams-Ellis bought the crenellated Victorian mansion known as Castell Deudraeth in 1931, intending to incorporate it into the Portmeirion hotel complex. As our buyers agents can outline, the outbreak of World War Two put an end to the plan: it wasn’t until 2001 that Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel was able to finalise the dream with the help of various grants.
Education
Check out the educational opportunities nearby with your Recoco buying agent including whether the schools teach in Welsh. Local nursery and primary schools include Ysgol Cefn Coch in Penrhyndeudraeth, Ysgol Eifion Wyn in Porthmadog, and secondary school Ysgol Eifionydd is also in Porthmadog.
Leisure and Events
Most Portmeirion buildings are used either as self-catering cottages or hotel rooms, shops, or eateries. Whether you’re a potential local property buyer or not, there is an entry fee to access the village – ask your Recoco property finder for details.
For a property buyer who’d like more details of what inspired the village, our property search company will gladly supply them. Williams-Ellis denied Portmeirion was based on the Italian Riviera village of Portofino, but as our Recoco buying agent can tell you, Williams-Ellis admitted his aim was to pay tribute to the Mediterranean. Our property buying agent can confirm the exotic rhododendrons in the gardens are especially spectacular.
Our buyers agents can tell you there are four shops: The Ship Shop; the Rob Piercy Gallery; the Prisoner Shop; and No. 6 Shop. Wondering about the significance of the number? Your real estate buyers agent may mention that this was how the unnamed central character of The Prisoner was named. The 1960s cult TV show was filmed here and starring Patrick McGoohan.
Music Festival N°6 has run every year since September 2012 – check with our property search company for details of the next event. If you’re a property buyer who likes a little musical accompaniment with your property search, Portmeirion has also turned up in music videos made by groups ranging from Iron Maiden to Siouxsie and the Banshees.
If you’d like to stay for a while, ask our real estate buyers agent about the thirteen self-catering cottages. Our property buying agent can help you assess booking options.
Celebrity Connections
Apart from the Prisoner TV series, the village has inspired many creative ventures. Sequences from Danger Man, Doctor Who, Citizen Smith, Cold Feet, and CBeebies show Gigglebiz were also filmed here. Noel Coward wrote Blithe Spirit here; H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, Ingrid Bergman, and Gregory Peck stayed here. Beatles manager Brian Epstein visited frequently, as did Paul McCartney, while George Harrison spent his fiftieth birthday here.
Foodies’ Corner
Feeling in need of a little refreshment in the course of your local property search? Enjoy a coffee or a full meal at the Town Hall Café, either at the tables indoors or at picnic tables throughout the village. Caffi’r Sgwâr, located on Battery Square, offers take-away teas, coffees and snacks. In keeping with the architecture, you can enjoy an authentic Italian style gelato at the Angel Gelataria.
Meals are also served at the Hotel Portmeirion Terrace, in the Dining Room, or at Castell Deudraeth: booking is advisable in most cases.
Fun Fact
The original buildings lay on a private estate called Aber Iâ, meaning ice estuary in Welsh; Williams-Ellis changed the name to Portmeirion. (Although their products are sold in the shop in North Wales, Portmeirion pottery is actually made in Staffordshire – the company was founded by the daughter of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.)