Work Is Planned At The Writers’ Centre At Ty Newydd, Llanystumdwy, Criccieth. (Image Cyngor Gwynedd Plans)
A Grade II* listed Gwynedd house where David Lloyd George spent his final days is set to undergo preservation work.
Restoration work is planned at Ty Newydd, the property where the former prime minister passed away.
The politician bought the property in Llanystumdwy, the village where he spent his childhood, in 1939 for his retirement.
He died in its library on March 26, 1945, after a short illness.
The home is also connected to the creator of the Italianate village, Portmeirion, Clough Williams-Ellis.
The architect remodelled the property for the former prime minister and his wife in the 1940s.
Today, Ty Newydd attracts famous faces from the literary world, in its most recent guise as the National Writing Centre for Wales, run by Literature Wales.
Now, Cyngor Gwynedd has received a full application to carry out structural support to a modified roof truss, located within the roof space above the library room, as well as replacement of wall plates supporting the library ceiling.
Planning documents noted: “As Lloyd George’s health deteriorated, Clough completely overhauled the house.
“The library became a focal point with the addition of a vaulted ceiling, cream chandeliers and the semi-circular bay window.”
It also stated that as his health declined, Lloyd George had “asked for his bed to be moved to beside the library window so he could see Cardigan Bay”.
He died aged 82, after a short illness. His funeral attracted crowds to the tiny village who watched his coffin conveyed on a humble farm cart to his nearby burial site beside the Afon Dwyfor.
The plans describe how walking into the library room “one is struck by the combination of the barrel-vaulted ceiling and the semi-circular bay window”.
They said: “This rare combination is visually impressive but also provides a unique acoustic experience.
“It is possible to hear a whisper from someone stood by the bay window from the opposite side of the room, due to the configuration of curved surfaces. As a result, this room has very high aesthetic and sensory value.
“The strong aesthetic in this room is undeniably influenced by the input of Clough Williams Ellis.
“Specifically, the reused reclaimed chandeliers, curved roof and bay window are all emblems that feature throughout Clough’s work, such as at the Angel Hotel in Portmeirion.”
Among the work proposed, the plans describe how “at present there is movement in this ceiling which has been identified as impacting on the aesthetic value of the library”.
They added: “Addressing this movement to conserve the ceiling is the key objective of the proposed works set out in this heritage impact assessment.”
The plans also said: “The structural assessment into the source of cracking to the barrel-vaulted ceiling provided conclusive evidence that structural re-mediation work is required to preserve the library room and ensure that it carries on being appreciated into the future.”
