Portmeirion Village
by
RCT Masters

The history of Portmeirion Village is of great interest, perhaps due to its eccentric founder, Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. Ellis grew up in the Welsh heartlands at the end of the 19th Century, living the life of a good, Victorian boy. At school he was a good student, excelling in mathematics and, perhaps surprisingly, art. His parents were quick to realise his talent for the subject, encouraging him with trips to art galleries and installations. It was on one of these trips, in October 1897, that the 15 year-old Ellis first discovered his love for architecture. The exhibition was in honour of the early works of Richard Norman Shaw, who is now recognised as one of the better late Victorian architects. 

The photos focussed on Shaw's early projects, and Ellis was fascinated by his versatility - from the Victorian Goth of his Church at Bingley to his pioneering of the Queene Anne style, Ellis could see that Shaw was truly a master of his craft. Thus it was he carved a career in the field, making his name as an architect unafraid to try the untried. However, this article must leave the reader to research this part of his life, as it is more concerned with his decision to build his idea of paradise on Earth. That is to say, the construction of Portmeirion Village.