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All the United Kingdom Wales Llithfaen Nant Gwrtheyrn

Nant Gwrtheyrn

An abandoned quarrying village turned commune is now a hub for learning the Welsh language.

Llithfaen, Wales

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cwdmaharan
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View from above Nant Gwrtheyrn, looking down over Porth Y Nant quarrymen houses.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Quarrymen’s houses.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Relics of the quarry and port, with Carreg y Llam in the distance.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Beach.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
View from the quarrymen’s houses.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
The hill down to Nant Gwrtheyrn.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Old quarrying relics.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Overlooking Nant Gwrtheyrn and over to Yr Eifl.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
Remnants of the port.   cwdmaharan / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Nant Gwrtheyrn is nestled within a gorgeous Welsh valley framed by steep hills and the Irish Sea. Though the small, isolated settlement is now home to the National Welsh Language and Heritage Centre, it has had a few curious previous lives.

In 1861, a granite quarry opened in the remote valley. It supplied granite setts that were used to make the cobblestone roads that stretched across the United Kingdom. Workers lived in a cluster of cottages, which formed a village called Port y Nant.

The residents had little contact with the outside world. At the time, there were few land-based methods of getting to and from the village, so the quarrymen and their families had to rely on materials shipped in via the Irish Sea. These transport troubles, as well as a drop in demand, caused the villages to close in the early years of World War II.

Hippies briefly invaded the village after its abandonment. Called the New Atlantis Commune, they survived without running water, electricity, or a working sewage system. Sadly, the free-spirited squatters trashed the houses and let their settlement fall into ruin. They later relocated to Dornish Island, John Lennon's hippie haven off the coast of Ireland.

After better access roads were built in the 1980s, the tiny village once again found its stride. It houses the National Welsh Language and Heritage Center, which teaches Welsh to adults looking to pick up a second language, with accommodation in the village.

People can pop into the village for an overnight stay in one of the old quarrymen’s cottages, and can even get married on the picturesque property.

Related Tags

Abandoned Language History Villages Quarries Commune

Know Before You Go

Navigating the hairpin bends and steep 25  percent drops into the village is tricky by car, and an unremitting hard slog on foot. Check your brakes and watch out for oncoming traffic.

As well as ample village parking, there is a large parking area immediately before the estate road drops dramatically into the village where there is access to a number of coastal walks.

A path from the village leads down to an idyllic beach.

The nearest bus stop is in the nearby village of Llithfaen, approximately 1.5 miles away. It's a great place to visit regardless of the weather. It has a cafe and amenities on site and you can even have your wedding and/or stay overnight in this picturesque village.

Community Contributors

Added By

cwdmaharan

Edited By

AdamTKincaid, cjp, jooniur

  • AdamTKincaid
  • cjp
  • jooniur

Published

October 10, 2017

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Sources
  • http://www.nantgwrtheyrn.org/about-nant/history/earlyhistory
  • http://www.nantgwrtheyrn.org/about-nant/history/folktales
  • http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/porthynant.html
Nant Gwrtheyrn
Llithfaen, Pwllheli
Llithfaen, Wales, LL53 6NL
United Kingdom
52.975435, -4.458403
Visit Website

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