Plas Brondanw

Plas Brondanw is a historic house in England, and a member of Historic Houses. Read about its history, architecture and gardens, plus how to visit and what's nearby.

About Plas Brondanw

Plas Brondanw, below Cnicht in Gwynedd, was the family home of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, architect of Portmeirion.

He inherited the house in 1908 and spent decades shaping its gardens into a sequence of yew-hedged rooms with views framed on the surrounding mountains.

The house is Grade II* listed, and the gardens hold Grade I listed status.

Following a fire in 1951 that damaged the building, Williams-Ellis rebuilt the interior behind its older walls.

After his death in 1978, the Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation took over the estate and now opens the gardens to visitors.

History of Plas Brondanw

Williams-Ellis inherited Plas Brondanw in 1908, a house that had already been in his family for generations, and worked on it alongside his design of Portmeirion from 1925 onwards. A fire badly damaged the building in 1951, after which he rebuilt the interior behind its older walls. Following his death in 1978, the estate passed into the care of the Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation, which was set up to preserve his work.

Architecture of Plas Brondanw

The house is Grade II* listed, with detailing characteristic of its period that Williams-Ellis would later reference in his work at Portmeirion.

Worth knowing

Plas Brondanw was the lifelong home of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis before and during his creation of the Italianate village of Portmeirion nearby.

Gardens & grounds at Plas Brondanw

The gardens are laid out as a series of yew-hedged rooms with vistas aligned on Cnicht and the Snowdonia hills, and carry Grade I listed status.

Facilities

Café

Plan your visit to Plas Brondanw

Official site Google Maps Waze

Nearest station: Pont Croesor (Welsh Highland Rly-Caernarfon) (1.6 miles)

Gardens open daily year-round 10am–4pm; house open Wednesday–Sunday 10:30am–4pm; check official website for seasonal café hours.

Places to visit near Plas Brondanw

Glyn Cywarch

historic house 5.0 miles

Visit Glyn Cywarch View Glyn Cywarch on heritage map

Harlech Castle

castle 7.2 miles

View Harlech Castle on heritage map

Criccieth Castle

castle 7.7 miles

View Criccieth Castle on heritage map

Dolwyddelan Castle

castle 9.0 miles

View Dolwyddelan Castle on heritage map

Dolbadarn Castle

historic building 11 miles

View Dolbadarn Castle on heritage map

Historic places nearby

Within 5 miles of Plas Brondanw there are 1 historic properties, including 1 historic house.

1 Historic Houses

1 Historic house

See these 1 sites on the heritage map

Within 10 miles of Plas Brondanw there are 4 historic properties, including 3 castles, across Cadw and Historic Houses sites.

3 Cadw

1 Historic Houses

3 Castle

1 Historic house

See these 4 sites on the heritage map

Within 20 miles of Plas Brondanw there are 28 historic properties, including 13 historic buildings, 6 castles and 3 archaeological sites, across Cadw, National Trust and Historic Houses sites.

17 Cadw

8 National Trust

3 Historic Houses

13 Historic building

6 Castle

3 Archaeological site

2 Historic house

1 Abbey

1 Chapel

1 Garden

1 Museum

See these 28 sites on the heritage map