Portmeirion

Description

"The Times" called Portmeirion 'the last folly of the Western World' while the "Guardian" saw it as 'a giant gnomes' village'. For eccentric architect Clough Williams-Ellis, the man who designed and built the resort, it was 'propaganda for good manners,' a statement of how planned development could enhance rather than destroy its environment. And for the quarter of a million visitors a year who make the trip to this Italianate village in North-West Wales, it's quite simply one of the most magical places on Earth. It was here Noel Coward wrote his comedy "Blithe Spirit", Patrick McGoohan filmed the legendary 1960s TV series "The Prisoner" and George Harrison celebrated his 50th birthday. It's the kind of place where Larry Adler gave informal concerts to other guests and hotel staff, Ingrid Bergman could be found talking movies with Bertrand Russell, and where royalty - from Edward VIII to King Zog of Albania - would join the general public in seeking escape from the modern world. Here too was born the world-famous Portmeirion Pottery, founded by Clough's daughter, Susan William-Ellis, and still one of Britain's leading ceramics companies nearly a half-century on. The book "Portmeirion" is published to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the opening of the resort in 1926. Lavishly illustrated with many unpublished and rare photographs, plans and drawings, it is the first book to cover the whole story of the village, the extensive gardens both at Portmeirion and Plas Brondanw, the Williams-Ellis family home, Portmeirion Pottery as well as Clough himself.

Jan Morris is the respected author of over thirty books including Pax Britannica, Venice, Wales - Epic Views of a Small Country and A Writers World 1950-2000. Jan knew Clough Williams-Ellis both as a friend and neighbour for over 30 years. Alwyn Turner is author of Biba: The Biba Experience and Cult Rock Posters 1972-82. He is a widely published writer on twentieth-century popular culture. Mark Eastment is former Chairman of the Decorative Arts Society and a collector of Portmeirion pottery. Stephen Lacey has been garden columnist for the Daily Telegraph since 1989. He is a regular presenter on the BBC's Gardeners' World and author of numerous books on gardening. Robin Llywelyn is a noted writer and poet writing in Welsh, the grandson of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and Managing Director of Portmeirion Village.

"Cherish the past. Adorn the present. Construct for the future" Clough Williams-Ellis"