1) It's a very rare medieval hall house
Llwyn Celyn is a 15th-century hall house, possibly built for a Prior, in the beautiful Llanthony Valley in the Black Mountains in Wales. Behind its glistening white exterior is a wonderful Landmark for eight, with two twin and two double beds – perfect for family gatherings or a weekend away with friends. There is a fully equipped kitchen with a dishwasher as well as underfloor heating so you can keep warm during chillier months. On warmer days, you can plant your deckchair on the terrace and enjoy the glorious views of the Skirrid and Sugar Loaf mountains.
2) It's a mecca for walkers...
Staying here puts you at the heart of some of the best walking routes in the UK. Take a trek up the Sugar Loaf mountain for panoramic views across South Wales and south-west England. Visit the National Trust’s website for a walking trail, which takes you through the Usk Valley and up the mountain. Or meander along the valley to the 13th-century Llanthony Priory, on whose land Llwyn Celyn was originally built.
You can also venture deep into the Brecon Beacons National Park, a haven for walkers with its gorges, caves and waterfalls. The trails on the Brecon Beacons website take you everywhere from the market town of Llandovery to an Iron Age hillfort.
3) ...as well as cyclists and thrill-seekers
Llwyn Celyn makes for the ideal cycling holiday for all abilities. Mountain bikers will want to head to the Black Mountains Cycle Centre, a ten minute drive from Llwyn Celyn. Again, the Brecon Beacons website is full of useful information about cycling routes. There are plenty of cycle hire shops dotted around the National Park too.
Rock climbers may want to head to the southern side of the National Park along the limestone belt. If the sun is out, you can dabble in paddle sports or extreme kayaking on the River Usk and River Wye.
Those looking to unwind can head to Abergavenny (‘the Gateway to Wales’); gaze up to the night sky and count the stars and nebulas; or simply stay put in Llwyn Celyn, with only the occasional baa of sheep to keep you company.
4) Getting to Llwyn Celyn is straightforward
Landmarks are in all manner of distant locations – down long and winding tracks, on remote islands or even only accessible by steam railway. Not so at Llwyn Celyn. The building is just a 20-minute taxi ride from Abergavenny train station or around a 3-hour drive from London, 2 hours from Birmingham and 2 hours 40 minutes from Nottingham. There are several parking spaces for Landmarkers too.
5) The project has been fascinating and complex
Llwyn Celyn has proved to be one of our most complex and ambitious restoration projects. Thanks to our generous supporters and a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we have almost finished restoring this historically important site. It has offered us surprises along the way – in September 2017, dendrochronology revealed that Llwyn Celyn dates from 1420, some 60 years earlier than we thought.
The Landmark where you stay – the hall house – is part of a wider farming site. There are a threshing barn, beast house, cider mill and malt and wheat drying kilns. The threshing barn will be open for educational use, while the beast house will host an interpretation room.
Llwyn Celyn has been on our radar for over a decade now and we are thrilled to finally share this wonderful building with the wider world.
Explore Llwyn Celyn