Tŷ Newydd

For the dolmen, see Tŷ Newydd Burial Chamber.

File:Tand^375, Newydd Llanystumdwy - geograph.org.uk - 463160.jpg

Tŷ Newydd, the National Writing Centre of Wales, was established in 1990. The centre specialises in residential creative writing and retreats. The courses are in both the English and Welsh language, and cover many genres, forms and styles. The centre also holds regular seminars and forums.

The House

The historical house is situated Llanystumdwy, near Cricieth, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The Grade II listed building was built in the fifteenth century and is the former home of David Lloyd George, the Welsh politician who served as British Prime Minister during the First World War. The house has six bedrooms, a large dining room, a kitchen, a conservatory and two libraries. The outbuilding, Hafoty, is the tutors' quarters, and has six extra rooms for guests. The name 'Tŷ Newydd' translates literally from Welsh to 'New House'.

The grounds overlook Cardigan bay and provide an inspirational setting to write and create. During the 1940s these were restyled by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis.

David Lloyd George

David Lloyd George (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British Liberal politician and statesman, and Prime Minister of the Wartime Coalition Government (1916–22). Lloyd George grew up in Llanystumdwy in Caernarfonshire. He was educated as a young boy in the local Anglican school, Llanystumdwy National School. Tŷ Newydd’s land originally extended to the road adjacent to Lloyd George’s childhood home, Brynawelon. In 1942, Lloyd George and his wife Frances bought Tŷ Newydd and initiated a major renovation by architect Sir Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis. In 1944 the couple moved in to Tŷ Newydd. Lloyd George died in 1945, aged 82, and was buried beside the River Dwyfor in Llanystumdwy. A monument designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis was erected around his grave. This bears an englyn (strict-metre stanza) engraved on slate in his memory composed by his nephew Dr William George. Lloyd George’s childhood home, Brynawelon, is now open to the public as the Lloyd George museum, which was also designed by Williams-Ellis

Sir Clough Williams-Ellis

In the early 1940s, Sir Bertam Clough Williams-Ellis (28 May 1883 – 9 April 1978), was employed as part of major renovations to the building of Tŷ Newydd. Under his direction, new additions such as the library window and the front window finals were made.

External links

• Official site
• Literature Wales site