History

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.

Exterior

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.

Reasons for Listing

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.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29484452

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback