Portmeirion
Portmeirion was created by the architect Clough Williams-Ellis from 1925 to 1976. He wanted to show how a naturally beautiful site could be developed without spoiling it.
Clough Williams-Ellis had conceived of a tightly grouped coastal village on some romantic clifftop site, perhaps on an island or a remote estuary. This idea stayed with him for about 20 years until in 1925 he found the Aber Iâ estate on the Dwyryd estuary near his home. It was more or less exactly what he had been hoping for, and it was for sale – he bought if for what is said to be around £5,000.
The first thing he did was change the name to Portmeirion. He did not feel Aber Iâ was approprite as it could mean ‘frozen river mouth’ which was not ideal for a holiday resort.
The name Portmeirion comes from ‘Port’ to put it on the coast and ‘Meirion’ the correct spelling of Merioneth, the county in which it was located.
Portmeirion was built in two stages, from 1925 to 1939 and then once post war building restrictions had been lifted, from 1954-76.
The Prisoner
The television program ‘The Prisoner” starred Patrick McGoohan as Number Six, the leading role in The Prisoner, and he was also the creator and driving force behind the 17 episode series. The series was financed by ITC Entertainment with David Tomblin as the Producer and George Markstein as script editor.
It was probably one of the most influential pieces of televison of the 1960s not only in the UK and USA but also in France, Australia and many other countries. Even The Beatles were fans. Its cult status was confirmed with the establishment in the 1970s of the official Prisoner Appreciation Society, Six of One.
- Between Battery Square and Central Piazza 01
- Detail in the Battery Square
- Mermaid Cottage
- Battery Square
- Under the Piazza
- Central Piazza 01
- Hotel Portmeirion and Afon Dwyryd (Dwyryd River)
- Central Piazza, early evening
- Central Piazza 02
- Water feature in the Cental Piazza
- View Towards Battery Square
- View down to main village
- View across to Afon Dwyryd (Dwyryd River)
- Between Battery Square and Central Piazza 02
- Detail at the Hotel Portmeirion
- View across Afon Dwyryd (Dwyryd River)
- Detail – archway up to Battery Square
Snowden
Snowdonia is a region in northwest Wales concentrated around the mountains and glacial landforms of massive Snowdonia National Park. The park’s historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wales’s highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, offering views across the sea to Ireland.
- General view from Llanberis Path 01
- General view from Llanberis Path 02
- A view down to Llyn Llydaw reservoir
- General view from Llanberis Path 03
- An early morning view near Blaenau Ffestiniog
- A view from the Peak of Snowden – facing north west
- A view of Snowdonia from Porthmadog 02
- The train makes the ascent
- General view from Llanberis Path 04
- A view of Snowdonia from Porthmadog 01
- A view from the Peak of Snowden
- Blaenau Ffestiniog just before sunrise
- Rolling mist and cloud over Snowdonia