The house is located on the waterfront where the Afon (river) Braint enters the Menai Straits at the tiny creek of Pwllfanogl. Wooden boats were built here in the eighteenth century but by the nineteenth century industry had moved to the small scale production of writing slates for schools- the beach in front is still littered with off cuts of these slates. Prior to the building on the two bridges that connect Anglesey to the mainland, Pwllfanogl had a small ferry and Min y Mor was known as the 'Boat Inn' which served restorative drinks to settle passengers nerves after the often dangerous crossings. Indeed, a short walk along the beach takes you to a statue of Lord Nelson who is famously quoted as saying "if you can sail the Menai Straits, you can sail anywhere".
By the 1970's the cottage was owned by the 7th Marquess of Anglesey who allowed his close friend, the esteemed artist Sir Kyffin Williams, to live there rent-free. His studio facing the waters of the straits and the mountains beyond provided the inspiration for his evocative depictions of the local landscape and its characters for the next 40 years, making him Wales' favourite artist by the time of his death in 2006. The world's largest collection of his work is displayed at Oriel Ynys Mon in Llangefni, opened by the Marchioness of Anglesey in 2008. The Marquess' home, Plas Newydd, now a National Trust property well worth visiting, is a little way along the beach and the Marquess and Marchioness were regular visitors for tea with Kyffin at the cottage on the water. Still owned by a member of the same family, an artist herself, the soul of this Grade II listed cottage remains.
Inside, you'll find a well equipped dining kitchen, sitting room and utillty room and shower room on the ground floor. Upstairs, you'll find the four bedrooms and a family bathroom off the sunny landing- try tearing yourself away from the views from the window seats if you can. There is an enclosed courtyard to the rear but the front terrace on the water is the place to be on sunny days. You may even be inspired to pick up an easel and pallette knife yourself....
Sir Kyffin himself is best placed to explain how and why he ended up at Min-y-Môr in 1974 after searching around Lord and Lady Anglesey's estate for a suitable dwelling;
‘…we turned down a rough track towards the Menai Strait. After about a quarter of a mile it turned sharply, and from a bridge over the river Braint, I could see some buildings beside a harbour. It was Pwllfanogl. The car stopped at the water's edge in front of a house with broken windows...... The house had been empty for six years. It was an ideal situation: outside the front door lay the Menai Strait and beyond woods that grew to the water's edge, rose the mountains of Caernarfonshire. I felt I would be lucky to live in such a place'
Read more about Kyffin in our blog here
