Llangoed Hall facts for kids
Llangoed Hall is a beautiful country house that has been turned into a hotel. It's located near a village called Llyswen in Powys, which is in Mid Wales. This special place is famous for its lovely decorations, especially using fabrics and styles from Laura Ashley. Sir Bernard Ashley, who was the husband of the designer Laura Ashley, used to own it. It's also a very important old building, officially known as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's protected because of its history and architecture.
A Journey Through Time: Llangoed Hall's History
This grand house, once known as Llangoed Castle, has a long and interesting past. Way back in the year 560, a person called Prince Iddon gave the castle to the church. He did this to make up for some mistakes he had made. Some people even believe it might have been the legendary White Palace, which was said to be where the very first Welsh parliament met!
A large house has stood on this spot since at least 1632. For two generations, it belonged to the Macnamara family. Can you believe they won it in a game of cards? That's quite a story!
Later, in 1912, a famous architect named Clough Williams-Ellis redesigned the house. He kept an old porch from the Jacobean period (a style from the early 1600s) and made it part of the south side of the building.
Finally, in 1987, Sir Bernard Ashley bought Llangoed Hall. He then opened it as the wonderful hotel we know today in 1990.
The Hotel Experience
Sir Bernard Ashley had a special dream for Llangoed Hall. He wanted to bring back the feeling of an Edwardian house. The Edwardian period was a time in British history from 1901 to 1910, known for its fancy customs, beautiful furniture, and antique decorations.
The hotel's Picture Gallery is filled with amazing art. You can see works by famous artists like Whistler, Augustus John, and Walter Sickert. Each bedroom at Llangoed Hall is designed differently. They are decorated with beautiful furnishings from Laura Ashley and from Sir Bernard's own company, Elanbach. This company is actually based right on the hotel's grounds!
Llangoed Hall's restaurant quickly became famous. In its very first year, it won the award for the Best Restaurant in Wales!
