Portmeirion
portmeirion welsh pronunciation pɔrtˈmei̯rjɔn folly tourist village gwynedd north wale lie estuary river dwyryd community penrhyndeudraeth mile km porthmadog mile km minffordd railway station portmeirion designed built sir clough williamsellis baroque style owned charitable trust served location numerous film television show famously village television show prisoner many building within village listed cadw welsh historic environment service architectural historical importance garden listed grade ii cadwicomos register park garden special historic interest wale sir clough williamsellis portmeirions architect denied repeated claim design based fishing village portofino italian riviera stated wanted pay tribute atmosphere mediterranean however draw love italian village stating fallen portofino indeed image remained almost perfect example manmade adornment use exquisite site williamsellis designed constructed village incorporated fragment demolished building including work number architect portmeirions architectural bricolage deliberately fanciful nostalgia noted influence development postmodernism architecture late th century main building hotel cottage white horse mermaid salutation private estate called aber iâ english ice estuary developed site late thcentury foundry boatyard williamsellis changed name interpreted frozen mouth portmeirion port place coast meirion county merioneth meirionydd sited minor remains mediaeval castle known variously castell deudraeth castell gwain goch castell aber iâ wood outside village recorded gerald wale williamsellis bought estate uncle sir osmond williams bt victorian crenellated mansion castell deudraeth intention incorporating portmeirion hotel complex intervention war problem prevented williamsellis always considered castell “the largest imposing single building portmeirion estate sought way incorporate eventually support heritage lottery fund european regional development fund well wale tourist board original aim achieved castell deudraeth opened welsh opera singer bryn terfel bedroom hotel restaurant august year williamselliss death village portmeirion source inspiration writer television producer noël coward wrote blithe spirit staying fountain upper fountain suite portmeirion george bernard shaw h g well also early visitor architect frank lloyd wright came famous guest included gregory peck ingrid bergman late stanley long former raf photographer came create collectible stereoview series vistascreen village many connection beatles manager brian epstein frequent visitor along paul mccartney george harrison spent th birthday harrison portmeirion filmed interview beatles anthology documentary musician jools holland visited whilst filming tv music show tube impressed studio building home blackheath built design inspired portmeirion portmeirion owned charitable trust always run hotel us building hotel room selfcatering cottage together shop cafe tearoom restaurant portmeirion today major tourist attraction north wale day visit made payment admission charge village setting inaugural festival n° took place september featured headline act spiritualized primal scream new order festival ran year september portmeirion festival organiser announced festival would taking indefinite break architecture critic lewis mumford devoted large part chapter book highway city portmeirion called artful playful little modern village designed whole piece fantastic collection architectural relic impish modern fantasy architect williamsellis equally home ancient traditional world stark welsh countryside brave new world modern architecture realized earlier architectural contemporary constricted desiccated modern form become architect pay attention mechanical formula exploitation newly fabricated material visible human result sense portmeirion gay deliberately irresponsible reaction dull sterility much pass modern architecture today prompted impulse reclaim architecture freedom invention — possibility pleasurable fantasy — abjectly surrendered cult machine mumford referred architecture romantic picturesque baroque form tongue cheek described total effect relaxing often enchanting playful absurdity delicate human touch making village happy relief rigid irrationality calculated folly modern world house anchor arch hotel building lady lodge inside pantheon vaulted ceiling gate house decorated mural fresco frankfurtborn artist friend clough williamsellis han feibusch portmeirion town hall grade listed building incorporating stonework hercules hall demolished emral hall flintshire many building structure within village listing ground gwyllt meaning wild place contain collection rhododendron exotic plant wildgarden setting begun williamselliss time previous owner george henry caton haigh continued developed since williamselliss death gwyllt form approximately triangular shaped area peninsula north hotel area formerly pleasure garden aber iâ mansion stretch coast dwyryd estuary location sea mean frostfree making possible grow rare plant camellia outstanding rhododendron collection early twentieth century area also contains dog cemetery garden designated grade ii cadwicomos register park garden special historic interest wale television series film shot exterior scene portmeirion often depicting village exotic european location include danger man episode view villa starring patrick mcgoohan fourepisode doctor story titled masque mandragora set renaissance italy last episode citizen smith christmas episode buon natale filmed partly portmeirion scene filmed final episode time tv series cold foot cbeebies series gigglebiz spinoff series captain adorable shot portmeirion village llanargollen appeared welsh preschool show name sc also shot portmeirion location music video concert scottish band altered image used portmeirion video see eye siouxsie banshee used portmeirion setting recording passenger laughing prisoner spoof video included various scene prisoner – patrick mcgoohan returned portmeirion film exterior prisoner surreal spy drama portmeirion played starring role village mcgoohans retired intelligence agent known number incarcerated interrogated albeit pleasant surroundings williamsellis request portmeirion identified screen filming location credit final episode series indeed williamsellis stated levy entrance fee deliberate ploy prevent village spoilt overcrowding show broadcast itv uk winter cbs u summer became cult classic fan continue visit portmeirion host annual prisoner fan convention building used lead character home series used prisonerthemed souvenir shop many location used prisoner virtually unchanged year large outdoor chess board installed homage appearance series prisoner connection portmeirion used filming location number homage series ranging comedy skit episode bbc documentary series celt recreated scene prisoner instance included jools holland starred spoof documentary laughing prisoner stephen fry terence alexander hugh laurie much shot location portmeirion included archive footage mcgoohan portmeirion along welsh village morfa bychan used location filming supergrass video alright video includes numerous reference prisoner iron maiden recorded song called prisoner album number beast documentary programme album part classic album tv series lead singer bruce dickinson wanders avenue portmeirion describes song written band manager obtained permission patrick mcgoohan use dialogue show song introduction channel music programme tube produced video xtc song meeting place man sailed around soul filmed portmeirion band wearing costume prisoner series episode wheeler dealer finished caterham taken portmeirion pay homage prisoner featured lotus predecessor caterham list garden wale plas brondanw popeye village portmeirion pottery note official website pleasure portmeirion bbc archive