Webmaster writes: As of September 2005 I have
acquired a copy of edition 14 of this book (from 1964); I have reproduced
the pictures from that booklet where appropriate to Ray's text. The High
Cloister picture however is taken from an earlier edition (10) and was provided by Rick Davy.
All images shown were featured in edition 12 and are © Portmeirion Ltd.
I came across this book whilst browsing through an
old book stall at an antiques fair held
at Liverpool’s St. George’s Hall back in January ‘97. Steve McKay also had
a Portmeirion
pottery stall there. I recommend anyone who attends this particular event
in the future to
pay this stall a visit as he’s got some very collectable and rare pieces
on display.
Moving back to this book - it’s dated 1962 and has a foreword by Clough
Williams-Ellis. He
names but a few famous people who have stayed in the village from H.G.
Wells to Bernard Shaw
and of course Noël Coward. However, the highlights of this promotional
brochure are the many
pictures of the village at that particular time.
Being dated 1962, it precedes the filming of the Prisoner and even the
Danger Man episode.
What some people will find interesting is the aerial photograph of
Portmeirion. (Click thumbnail, below) If you look
closely you will see that there is a tennis court where the central piazza
now is (Another
angle of this tennis area can be seen on page ‘N’ of Max Hora’s
Portmeirion Prisoner
Production).
Apart from an indoor picture of Hercules Hall (where
the famous Six of One convention
parties are held every year {annually until 1998 - Webmaster}) the best interior photographs
are of the Portmeirion Hotel, some of which unfortunately was destroyed by a fire on
6th June 1981. I personally don’t know which rooms were destroyed or damaged as I’ve never
set foot inside this area but I’m sure other Six of One members could recognise certain rooms
(The hotel was extensively repaired over a period of some seven years and reopened in April 1988
and many of the original features were faithfully and in some cases, quite painstakingly
reproduced -Ed).
One of my favourite pictures is of the Cockpit smoking room which was
built from the timbers
of the Arethusa, the last warship ever to sail into action (wooden warship
I assume - Ed.).
I hope this wasn’t destroyed in the fire as it seems to have so much
character.
(Sadly, as confirmed in the current Portmeirion guide book, the Cockpit
room and its
contents were lost in the 1981 fire - Webmaster). The set-up reminds me a
bit of The Ship
Inn public house in Porthmadog. I always have a ceremonial pint in there
on the eve of every
convention.
Finally, the best photo is of the High Cloister area which doesn’t look as
high as it
usually does. Where’s the green dome?
Also of interest is a very early key to Portmeirion
map on the back cover (not reproduced here) and just for nostalgic
reasons, there’s an advertisement near the back for the Mytton & Mermaid
Hotel at Atcham Bridge, Shropshire. Do any of the Shrewsbury Group
recognise this? (Yes they do –I
was taken there myself by Nick Bennett a few years ago and a wonderful
place it is – Ed)
Portmeirion – Still further Illustrated and
Explained (with fresh words and yet better pictures)
12th Edition – Spring 1962
published by Blackie & Son Ltd.
Price: 2 shillings and 6 pence (2/6)
Ray bought his copy in 1997 for the (still) bargain price of £2.00
Pictures taken from 'Portmeirion - Still Further Illustrated and
Explained
(with fresh words and yet bigger and better pictures)
14th Edition - Spring 1964
published by Blackie & Son Ltd.
Price: 2 shillings and 6 pence (2/6)
Alan adds:
The Mytton & Mermaid is located at Atcham outside
Shrewsbury. It was bought by Clough Williams-Ellis as a halfway
house between London and Portmeirion. Although the building
obviously already existed as Atcham House, there are touches added by
Williams-Ellis that make it look like it would be quite happy if it were
suddenly uprooted and plonked down in Portmeirion! If you get the
chance to visit, also try to find the time to examine the neighbouring
church and Attingham Park and its house across the road where some scenes
of the movie, A Christmas Carol, starring George C. Scott were filmed.
Further reading: Architect Errant - The
autobiography of Clough Williams-Ellis, pages 60 and 193.
