History

Portmeirion was designed and laid out by the celebrated architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978) following his purchase of the estate, then called Aber Iâ, in 1926. The village evolved over several decades and was still being added to in the 1970s.

The Campanile was designed and built in 1928 and, unusually for the Portmeirion buildings, the executed tower exactly conformed to its detailed plans; these were shown in the 1931 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Some sort of bell tower had formed a focus for the projected village already in the earliest plans and models. As CWE noted: `The need for the Campanile was obvious enough - it was imperative that I should open my performance with a dramatic gesture of some sort.' The tower was provided with a chiming clock from a demolished London brewery. A plaque within the tower carries the following dedication: `This tower, built in 1928 by Clough Williams-Ellis, architect and publican, embodies stones from the 12th century castle of Gruffudd ap Cynan, King of North Wales, that stood on an eminence 150 yards to the west. It was finally razed c1869 by Sir William Fothergill Cook, inventor of the Electric Telegraph ``lest the ruins should become known and attract visitors to the place.'' This C19 affront to the C12 is thus piously redressed in the C20.'

Exterior

Imposing square, stone tower in Mediterranean baroque style; of rubble construction with rough-squared quoins. The tower is of five main stages of which the upper 2 are rendered; the lower 3 have a slight taper. Arched openings to the lower stage with two further arched entrances leading off from an external parapetted stair on the second stage of the W face, and an intermediate mezzanine level below; these with recessed boarded doors. There are open-pedimented arches to the second stage on the N and S sides with shallow stone balconys, and arched openings with balustrading to the third stage above. On the E and W sides of this stage are clock faces. The rendered upper stages are slightly recessed and have angle buttresses. The lowest of these is the bell chamber. This has round-headed arches to each face, those on the W and E flanked by Ionic columns. The fifth stage has vertical window openings with external shutters and balutraded sections below. At the top is an octagonal stone cupola with voluted corners and large vertical openings to each face. This has a sloped copper roof with surmounting golden ball finial and weather vane.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* as a highly accomplished bell tower in eclectic baroque style forming an important visual focus in the village; one of a number of buildings and structures designed by the eminent architect and conservationist Sir Clough Williams-Ellis for his visionary Portmeirion .

Group value with other listed items at Portmeirion.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Campanile at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17740455

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)