This is Plas Brondanw – a beautiful, centuries old structure in Eryri (Gwynedd, Gogledd Cymru).

The building was built around the year 1550 by John ap Hywel, with much of the visible improvements coming in 1660 through his descendant, William Williams.

Though the property would be damaged by a fire in the year 1951, much of it was saved and restored.
There is also a small “folly” castle within the grounds, built around 1915 and named “Folly Castle”, and this has been featured in the Doctor Who episode titled “The Five Doctors”.
The gardens at Plas Brondanw were, last I checked, accessible to the public for a small fee. I will accept corrections if this is no longer the case!

Per Plas Brondanw: “Our garden is open 7 days a week. Our café is closed on Mondays and the house is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Entrance to the house is free. The fee for the garden is £5 adult, £1 child and payable in the café. If the café is closed entrance to the garden is via the big blue gates where there is an honesty box for payment. Dogs are not allowed in the garden but are welcome in the woodland area.”
As amazing as Plas Brondanw truly is, I’ve always been fascinated by Welsh houses, each one holding a piece of history. Here are five more historic Welsh houses that tell a story.
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DIGITAL Welsh Histories Magazine – September 2025
Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.

