The Snowdonian houses of the Conwy valley

Some of Wales’ earliest and most distinctive houses lie within the Conwy Valley. Snowdonian houses are two-storey stone buildings with tall chimneys at both gable ends. The earliest dates from around 1515, and by 1550 this type of house had become more common within the area.

The Snowdonian house still shared some elements with its medieval ancestor – such as a cross-passage (where the front door is directly opposite the back door) and the separation of the ground floor into two distinct zones - the hall for dining and entertaining, and the service end for food preparation and storage.

Detailed knowledge of these Snowdonian houses derives from the work of a community-based project led by the Dating Old Welsh Houses Group in partnership with RCAHMW culminating in the publication of Darganfod Tai Hanesyddol Eryri / Discovering the Historic Houses of Snowdonia (RCAHMW, 2014).