Portmeirion Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Portmeirion
Overview of the central plaza
OS grid reference	SH593376
Community	Penrhyndeudraeth
Principal area	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom

Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh

EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Welsh Assembly	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
List of places UK Wales Gwynedd

Portmeirion is a special village in North Wales, Gwynedd. It's a popular place for visitors. The village is right next to the River Dwyryd. It was designed and built by Clough Williams-Ellis. He worked on it for many years, from 1925 to 1975. He wanted it to look like a beautiful Italian village. Today, a charity owns and takes care of Portmeirion. Many famous movies and TV shows have been filmed here, like The Prisoner.

History of Portmeirion
Portmeirion in Popular Culture
Images for kids
See also

History of Portmeirion

A photograph of Castell Deudraeth which is located at Portmeirion

Portmeirion looks a lot like a village you might find near the Mediterranean. Its creator, Clough Williams-Ellis, started building it in 1925. He kept working on it until 1975. He wanted it to feel like a sunny, European place. The way he mixed different building styles here even helped inspire a type of architecture called postmodernism later on.

Before Portmeirion was built, there was an old estate called Aber Iâ on this land. This name means "Ice estuary" in Welsh. The main hotel and three small cottages ("White Horses," "Mermaid," and "The Salutation") are part of that original estate. They were built in the 1850s. Even before that, there was a place for making metal (a foundry) and a boatyard here. There are also old remains of a medieval castle nearby.

In 1931, Williams-Ellis bought a large Victorian house called Castell Deudraeth. It belonged to his uncle, Sir Osmund Williams. Williams-Ellis wanted to make this mansion part of the hotel. But many problems and a war stopped him. He really loved the building and kept trying to make it happen. Finally, with money from groups like the Heritage Lottery Fund, he opened Castell Deudraeth as a hotel on August 20, 2001. It has 11 bedrooms and a restaurant. The famous singer Bryn Terfel performed at its opening.

Portmeirion is also known for its beautiful gardens. They have many rhododendrons. These gardens were started even before Williams-Ellis lived there, by George Henry Caton Haigh. Today, Portmeirion is owned by an English charity. It is still a hotel, and you can find a cafe, shops, a tearoom, and a restaurant there. You can also rent cottages for your stay.

Portmeirion in Popular Culture

Battery Square and souvenir shops

Many famous people have found ideas in Portmeirion. The writer Noël Coward wrote his play Blithe Spirit while staying in a cottage here. Famous visitors include Frank Lloyd Wright, Gregory Peck, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul McCartney. The musician Jools Holland visited while filming a TV show. He loved Portmeirion so much that he used its unique style when building his own house and recording studio in Blackheath.

The village is often used in movies and TV shows because it looks like an exotic place in Europe. Parts of Danger Man, Doctor Who, and The Prisoner were filmed at Portmeirion. Many bands and musicians have recorded videos or songs here. Some have even held concerts related to The Prisoner, like Supergrass, Iron Maiden, XTC, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. There is also a music festival called Festival N°6 held here.