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his is no doubt one of the most World War II - fine-tuned details in the Believing it to be the perfect place to ful-
unique villages in Britain. No one second phase from 1954-1976. The last fill his boyhood dream - to build a uto-
has ever lived here - yet there’s an building, the Tollgate, was built during pia, an ideal village on a romantic coast-
Tadmission fee to stroll around, and his 93rd year. al site - he changed the name from Aber
some 250,000 visit each year. And it’s Ia, meaning glacial estuary in Welsh, to
definitely worth it! Portmeirion: Port because of its coastal
location, and meirion, which is Welsh
When Frank Lloyd Wright toured here for merioneth, the county.
in 1956, he turned to Amabel Wil-
liams-Ellis, the wife of the visionary Williams-Ellis and his family (he had
who had designed this charming and two daughters--and a son who was
whimsical place. Not one to hand out killed during World War II) lived near-
compliments, the egotistical Wright ex- by in Plas Brondanw, an estate he in-
claimed to her, “Why, I do believe you herited. Much of it was destroyed by
married an architect!” fire in 1951, causing him to lose many
valuable architectural papers and fam-
And Wright, by then a world-renowned ily documents. Fortunately some had
building designer, knew what he was been copied by a historian, and several
talking about: Comprised of colorful major architectural drawings were safe
and fun buildings, statues, fountains in London, but the loss was devastating.
and 70 acres of gorgeous gardens and The house was rebuilt in two years and
forest in a unique, seaside setting in that’s where he died in 1978, a month
north Wales, Portmeirion was designed shy of his 95th birthday.
by the creative architect Clough Wil-
liams-Ellis (1883-1978). He purchased Popular Portmeirion pottery, decorated
the property - described by him as “a with flora and fruits, launched in 1960
neglected wilderness” - in 1925 for less by Williams-Ellis’ artist daughter Su-
than 5,000 pounds. He then spent the san Williams-Ellis, continues to be sold
next 15 years working on it, then - after worldwide.
more than 10 years of disruption due to
52 Wine Dine & Travel Winter 2015
