Property spotlight: Anglesey

Since moving to Wales, Anglesey has been on our list of Welsh places to visit. Anglesey – or Ynys Môn in the Welsh language – has long been a haven for artists and craftspeople; it was home to renowned painters Kyffin Williams and Gwilym Prichard.

It has lots of castles, antiques shops and is a foodie destination. And, being an island, you’re spoiled for choice with stunning beaches, coastal walks and water sports.

If living on Anglesey is your dream, we’ve chosen three properties that could turn that wish into a reality. The first is a former church that’s currently being used as an art gallery. Next, is a 4^th floor flat that could be turned into a stunning mid-century modern inspired pad. Finally, an actual lighthouse with owner’s accommodation and two additional cottages in the grounds.

There’s a huge range in prices, but all have the most stunning views and potential.

£100,000 – Church of St Mwrog, Llanfwrog LL65 4

Detached Grade II listed church
Rural location
Currently used as artist studio / gallery
Excellent opportunity with possible potential for conversion

The sale is only for the church building and the land it sits upon, the surrounding lands are currently owned by the Church of Wales.
The open space in this property allows for the possibility of a variety of uses (subject to planning consent) as a studio or a workshop.

£249,950 – Glyn Garth Court, Glyn Garth, Menai Bridge LL59 5PB

Enjoying truly stunning panoramic sea and mountain views as far as the Great Orme to the east and the Menai Suspension Bridge to the west.

Stunning sea & mountain views
8^th floor apartment
Private lift to all floors
2 double bedrooms
Lounge/diner with balcony
Kitchen with fitted appliances
Inner hall
Bathroom
Modern shower room/WC
Communal gardens
Underground designated parking

£1,195,000 – Main residence + 2 cottages – Point Lynas Lighthouse, Llaneilian, Amlwch LL68 9LT

3 properties + circa 17 acres headland
Great investment return
Includes freehold of working lighthouse
Breathtaking views of the Irish Sea
156m²

Designer Desire: Wilf Roberts

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England has St Ives, Scotland has Kirkcudbright and Wales has Anglesey. It must be something in the air… or light that draws artists there or inspires their artistic sensibilities. Today, we’re featuring yet another Anglesey-based artist, Wilf Roberts (1941-2016).

His landscapes and cottages feel so Welsh – we really want to visit Anglesey some day soon.

Wilf, himself, explains his inspiration, subject matter and methods best of all:

I’m mainly inspired by Wales as it used to be. I don’t like modernism that much, so I tend to go back to my childhood and remember things as they were. The old cottages and farmhouses are quickly disappearing, but I make use of some of my old sketches to try to capture things as they used to be. I don’t really put anything in paintings that’s in any way modern except telegraph poles.
My painting is about the love and affinity I have with the island and in particular my own square mile at Mynydd Bodafon – for this is where I live and work, its paths are familiar to me and it’s where I’m most comfortable.
I make fairly quick sketches just to get the main outline of what I’m trying to do. All the painting is done back in the studio. I apply the paint with anything that comes to hand – mostly painting knives but also credit cards, my fingers, brushes, a pizza cutter, sticks – really anything I can think of that will get the desired effect.
I’ve often gone to a painting the morning after and scraped it all off simply because I’m not sure about it or don’t like it. It happens to about a third of what I do. You never achieve perfection, but you want to think you can get close to it. If a painting’s going well, somewhere towards the end, the whole thing comes together and makes some kind of sense. That’s when I feel, ‘Yes, I’ve achieved something’. _WalesOnline

We brought a nice collection of art with us from Yorkshire, few of which seem to sit right in our new cottage. Hopefully, one day, we’ll own a Wilf Roberts piece (or two!) where it will be perfectly at home.

Additional image credits:

Attic Gallery | Martin Tinney Gallery | Invaluable

Designer Desire: Gwilym Prichard

Our own humble art collection was built up mainly during our time living in Todmorden. We erred towards Northern Industrial artists during those years, the subject matter suiting the house and Pennine setting perfectly.

We’ve recently moved to Wales and are slowly unpacking belongings – including our paintings. Whilst we still love them, and will try to accommodate them in our little cottage, we also feel that we’ll have to introduce some Welsh art into the mix.

The work of Gwilym Prichard, in particular his buildings and landscapes, is of great interest to us… so we thought that we’d feature him for today’s Designer Desire post.

Alongside his friend Sir Kyffin Williams, Prichard (1931-2015) is considered one of the giants of 20th century Welsh art. He studied art at Normal College, Bangor followed by a diploma at Birmingham College of Art. From 1954, for 11 years, he taught crafts at a school in Llangefni, Anglesey. In his spare time, he painted his local surroundings.

He and his wife, Claudia Williams – also an accomplished artist – also lived & painted in Brittany, Greece before returning to Wales in 1999, settling in Tenby.

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Additional image credits:

Blondes Fine Art | Bonhams | Wahoo Art

Designer Desire: Kyffin Williams

We’re just back from a few days away in sunny Wales, so it’s timely that we’re featuring a famous Welsh artist in this week’s Designer Desire series, Sir Kyffin Williams.

Williams (1918 – 2006) was a landscape and portrait painter who lived in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll (otherwise famously known as Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch) on the Welsh island of Anglesey. He failed an army medical on the grounds of epilepsy and was advised by a doctor, “As you are, in fact, abnormal, I think it would be a good idea if you took up art”.

He attended Slade School of Fine Art in London from 1941. His subject matter often consisted of Welsh mountains and cottages with farmers, shepherds and sheepdogs taking centre stage.

I don’t think we’ll be able to afford one a Kyffin Williams original oil painting in this lifetime or the next; however, limited-edition prints and multiples can be had at auction and online.

Here’s a 6-minute film which shares photographs of the man and further examples of his work.

Additional image credits:

Art Wales

H is for Home Harbinger

Tag: Anglesey

Property spotlight: Anglesey

£100,000 – Church of St Mwrog, Llanfwrog LL65 4

£249,950 – Glyn Garth Court, Glyn Garth, Menai Bridge LL59 5PB

£1,195,000 – Main residence + 2 cottages – Point Lynas Lighthouse, Llaneilian, Amlwch LL68 9LT

Designer Desire: Wilf Roberts

Designer Desire: Gwilym Prichard

Designer Desire: Kyffin Williams