Belvedere
Sleeps 6
Room Layout
Twin Room Double Room
Two Single Rooms (one ground floor) Kitchen - Diner
Two Bathrooms (One ground floor) View pdf of Room Layout
Location
Located in the upper half of the Village, overlooking the Estuary and Bridge House. Belvedere has designated parking right outside the door of the cottage, and a door from the lounge leads onto a small terrace area. Villa centre is approached via outside stairway.
History
The Belvedere (1960, listed Grade II 1971) is a simple Classical
house of two storeys with plain pilasters and a balcony over a
recessed arched porch. It was designed in 1960 and built the same
year. On the original drawing it is called The Fountain House but
as Anchor and Fountain already existed he changed this to
Belvedere, justifying the name because "it occupies the premier
view-point in all Portmeirion." In front of Belvedere is a
balustraded viewing platform overlooking the road. The house was
first used for hotel accommodation but is now a self-catering
cottage sleeping six. From 1953 to 1978 Clough's daughter Susan
Williams-Ellis and son-in-law Euan Cooper-Willis encouraged him to
complete Portmeirion while assuming responsibility for the general
management and arranging the appropriate finance. Thus the 1960s
were one of Clough's most productive periods at Portmeirion with
more than twenty buildings completed.
Clough incorporated a stained glass window from Castell Deudraeth
in The Belvedere's kitchen/dining room. It was made for David
Williams Esq., MP (1799-1869), attorney, landowner and first
Liberal Member of Parliament for Merioneth. David Williams bought
Castell Deudraeth, then called Bron Eryri, in 1841 and
substantially rebuilt it as a castellated mansion. His motto Nid Da
onid Duw translates as 'No Good without God'. Clough bought Castell
Deudraeth and its surrounding parkland in 1931 thus extending his
Portmeirion estate all the way to the main road at Minffordd.
Click here for pictures of Belvedere and other self catering cottages