4865

 

II  

Designated  

14/01/1971  

23/08/2002  

Government House  

 

Gwynedd  

Penrhyndeudraeth  

 

Portmeirion  

258984  

337142  

 

On the cliff-top adjacent to the Campanile.  

Domestic  

 

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. Government House was built 1928-9 as part of the cliff-top developement which originally served as overspill accommodation for the hotel.  

Large building of two sections, a main three-storey, hipped-roofed block and a lower two-storey bock adjoining at an angle to the NE. Rendered elevations and pantiled roofs with sprocket eaves; large projecting lateral chimney to the rear elevation of the NE block. The main section has an arched entrance with small-pane glazed door to the L and a 12-pane casement to the R. The first floor has two 12-pane sashes; the second floor has similar with a narrower 8-pane window in between, these with external slatted wooden shutters. Similar shuttered sashes to the rear elevation, facing the estuary, with applied baroque cartouche to the centre between the floors. Rising up from the roof-line of this rear elevation is a tall gable of bellcote type, though lacking bell arch; instead there is a segmental iron balcony. The NE section has a casement window to the ground floor and a shuttered sash above, as before. The left-hand (NE) corner is rounded. The rear elevation is asymmetrical, with a small-pane glazed door to the L of the central chimney and 12-pane sashes to the R and above; further entrance to the R of the chimney and sash above. Faux second floor with trompe l'oeil windows. Advanced to the R, and overlapping this rear elevation, is a parapetted external stair with open loggia to the first floor; this gives access to the NE block via a glazed door within the loggia. This continues as a short section of parapetted wallwalk with descending steps to join the Campanile to the NE. The main block adjoins The Dolphin via a loggia bridge at first floor level, with twin arches and wooden Salomonic column facing the front (N). A short balustraded balcony leads to this from Government House at the rear; at this point a life-sized polychromed figure of William Shakespeare is located, leaning over the parapet and facing out towards the estuary. On the seaward (east) side the Royal Dolphin has 3 storeys. The Dolphin has in centre a tall gable-like structure with a round headed arch and balcony, and figure of a stork surmounting the gable. The loggia on the south side has a bust of Shakespeare leaning on the balustrade and looking out to sea.  

 

Listed as a particularly well-conceived village building in a commanding position; 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.