Historic 13th-century mansion in Snowdonia that has been home to the same family with links to Welsh royalty for FORTY generations goes on sale for £2million
A historic 13th-century mansion in Snowdonia that has been home to the same family with links to Welsh royalty for forty generations has gone on sale for £2million.
Llanfendigaid Estate, which translates to 'Parish of the Blessed', has been owned by the Nanney-Wynn family since records began in 1241.
The family, who are descended from Welsh royalty Owain Gwynedd, the King of Gwynedd until 1170, built their wealth on farming and shipping timber and wool 3,000 miles from Wales to America.
Descendant Will Garton-Jones is the 40th recorded generation to inherit the home in Tywyn, Gwynedd, North Wales, which he is understood to be selling for commercial reasons.
The inside of the former cow shed, which has now been renovated into a luxury self-catering cottage. Llanfendigaid in Tywyn, Gwynedd, North Wales, has been owned by the Nanney-Wynn family for forty generations, since records began in 1241
The 13th-century property's indoor heated swimming pool with a wooden ceiling and roof beams. Descendant Will Garton-Jones is the 40th recorded generation to inherit the historic home in North Wales
One of the bedrooms inside the main house, with twin beds and a fireplace. Estate agent Finest Properties said the grounds 'encompass a grand Grade II Listed country house and three fantastic self-catering holiday accommodation cottages'
The kitchen inside the former cow shed, which has been renovated into a self-catering luxury cottage, decked with wooden flooring and connecting to the dining area. Paddocks on the site also have the potential to expand the holiday business
The exterior of the main house, pictured, which has nine bedrooms spread over two storeys along with a fully-equipped kitchen featuring period flagstone floor. An indoor swimming pool can further be found on the estate
Will Garton-Jones said he is prepared to sell the estate about spending more than £2million restoring it over the past 30 years
Banker Mr Garton-Jones, of Devizes, Wiltshire, inherited it when he was 23 and has been running the estate as holiday lets.
At the time he was a young army officer, but was forced into a change of career after the sudden deaths of his grandfather and mother in quick succession.
He told the MailOnline: 'I had to earn quite a lot of money to maintain it, which was a good thing really, as it would have been easy for me to not have tried so hard.'
Mr Garton-Jones left the army in 1989 and went into the ITS services industry, earning money to restore the house, convert outbuildings and maintain the surrounding 15 acres of land.
Since taking it over, he estimates he has spent more than £2million on restoring the historic site.
Llanfendigaid translates as 'Parish of the Blessed,' and is mentioned as far back as 1241. The first recorded owner was Hugh ap John ap Hugh in 1600, but earlier documents are thought to have been losting during the Second World War.
The original estate stretched for 50,000 acres but has rapidly decreased in size over the past century.
Mr Garton-Jones's great grandfather took over the estate in 1925.
But it is now finally set to change hands after almost 800 years - and is up for sale for £2million.
Mr Garton-Jones has business in Africa and other parts of the world, while his three daughters are currently focused on other areas, with one in university, another in Australia and a third working as a research scientist.
He said: 'Now seems a good time to sell, I don't want to be hanging on in 20 years.
'I know people will say it has been prompted by Covid, and in some ways it has, but not how they would expect.
'A lot of people working in the City may have realised they can move further out and work from home while living a new lifestyle, this is a fantastic home and it offers that chance for the right buyer.
'Plus with the easing of lockdown, tourism in the UK will be improved and this is a great place to visit.'
The sitting area inside the main house, with an ornate fireplace and family portrait seen hanging on the wall. The family, who have links to Welsh royalty, built their wealth on farming and shipping timber and wool 3,000 miles from Wales to America
A dining table, which sits 14 people, with benches pictured inside the main house, with white-paned windows looking out onto the Welsh countryside, black stoned floors and a family portrait seen hanging on a wall at the head of the table
The kitchen area in the Stable Cottage, one of the former outbuildings which have been renovated into a luxury self-catering cottage, featuring wooden flooring, stools and surfaces, alongside shelves for storage space and a door leading outside
National Trust adviser Nick Kingsley, told The Times Llanfendigaid was not the UK's oldest family-owned estate as some still had a continuous male line descent from the Anglo-Saxon era.
He said: 'The Berkeleys have been at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire since the 12th century — although there was an unfortunate period around 1500 when it was confiscated by the Crown — and their lineage can be traced back to Saxon times.'
The estate includes the Grade II-listed grand house and 15 acres of stunning gardens and woodland.
Sea views can be spotted from the land that is accessed by a private driveway.
The spacious entrance hall inside the Grade II listed main house, with patterned tiling and family portraits seen adorning the walls. The Nanney-Wynn family tree includes descendants from Owain ap Gruffudd - the King of Gwynedd until 1170
A table tennis area seen inside one of the barns, with wooden beams. Paddocks have the potential to expand the holiday business, with three former outbuildings being renovated into luxury cottages, subject to planning permission
One of the double bedrooms inside the main house, decorated with white-panelled walls and dark wooden flooring. Banker Mr Garton-Jones, of Devizes, Wiltshire, inherited the home when he was 23 and has been running the estate as holiday lets
The estate, which is finally set to change hands after almost 800 years, includes the Grade II-listed grand house and 15 acres of stunning gardens and woodland. The property is on sale with estate agents Finest Properties for £2million
The exterior of the former cow shed, an outbuilding which was renovated into a luxury holiday cottage. Finest Properties described the setting as 'simply idyllic, nestled in a peaceful position with picturesque surroundings'
The Nanney-Wynn family: Owners of the Llanfendigaid Estate since 1241 with links to Welsh royalty
The Nanney-Wynn family have owned Llanfendigaid since records began in 1241 and built their wealth on farming and shipping timber and wool 3,000 miles from Wales to America.
Banker Will Garton-Jones currently owns the estate after inheriting it, but hasn't lived there for over 40 years.
Instead, he runs Llanfendigaid as holiday lets with three self-catering cottages called The Cow Shed, Dove Cottage and Stable Cottage.
In the early 1600s, John Nanney married the heiress of the Anwyl family, who was descended from Owain Gwynedd, the King of Gwynedd between 1137 and 1170, meaning the Nanney-Wynn family have ties to Welsh royalty.
The estate was built in the 13th century and renovated in 1746.
On Llanfendigaid Estate's website, it states: 'It’s amazing to think that the Nanney-Wynn family lived here for more than eight centuries and still own it today.
'An estate map from 1780 shows that the original estate stretched along the Welsh coast from Harlech in the north to Aberystwyth in the south.
'However, since the collapse of many of the great British estates in the 1920s, Llanfendigaid Estate has gradually reduced in size to a much smaller patch in the Snowdonia National Park on one of the most attractive stretches of the Welsh coastline.'
The three-storey Georgian style home has multi-paned windows with a grand square entrance hall and sweeping staircase.
Family portraits stand proudly on the walls and ornate fireplaces and impressive coving can also be seen.
The dining hall seats 14 people and the drawing room boasts intricate wall panelling.
Nine bedrooms are spread over two storeys in the main house along with a fully-equipped kitchen featuring period flagstone floor.
The former outbuildings have now been renovated into three luxury self-catering cottages.
An indoor heated swimming pool can further be found on the estate with a wooden ceiling and roof beams.
Paddocks on the site also have the potential to expand the holiday business - subject to planning permission.
Estate agent Finest Properties said: 'This stunning estate is set in the Snowdonia National Park on a stretch of breath-taking Welsh coastline, offering a well-established business in a unique setting with excellent repeat custom.
'The estate encompasses a grand Grade II Listed country house and three fantastic self-catering holiday accommodation cottages along with an indoor heated swimming pool which can be used by all guests.
'The setting is simply idyllic, nestled in a peaceful position with picturesque surroundings and just a short walk from the seashore.'
The property's description adds: 'The substantial detached main house currently offers generous self-catering accommodation with the potential to easily revert to use as a wonderful family home.
'The three further cottages provide cosy country living for a variety of visitors, all benefitting from the convenience of ultra-fast broadband.
'These attractive properties have been renovated to meet a high standard of design and workmanship very much in keeping with the local area.
'The property is currently being operated as a successful lifestyle business incorporating holiday lets, use as a bespoke wedding venue and access to pitches for Caravan Club members.'