Intriguing house proves that beauty is in the eye of the boulder

Andrew Forgrave assesses one of Wales’ most recognisable buildings and considers its place in history —and the nation’s hearts

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> Tŷ Hyll (Ugly House) was restored by Cwmdeithas Eryri and now houses a popular cafe

(Rude Health/Wiki)

FEW places in Wales are rooted in myth as much as Ty Hyll, known in English as the “Ugly House”.

Tourism bodies are happy to play along, saying it’s a building “full of history, legend and mystery”.

Ty Hyll is a tourism staple, and understandably so. Its rough construction from boulders weighing up to three tonnes appears either cumbersome or whimsical, depending on your perspective. Either way, it’s certainly eye-catching, with a whiff of Hansel and Gretel. Claims that “nobody knows who built it or when” only fuel the intrigue. The building appears so ponderous and prehistoric that at one time its inhabitants were affectionately referred to as the “cave dwellers”.

Managing to look both sturdy and slightly ramshackle, the house on Thomas Telford’s A5 road in Eryri has fascinated generations of visitors. Many have become accustomed to tales of its fairytale origins - apparently built by two brothers as a forest hideaway, having carved the date 1475 over its fireplace.

According to heritage body Cadw, such tales are stuffed with “amusing improbability” But they have persisted, such as claims that ‘Ty Hyll was a “Ty unnos” - a house that, if built overnight on common land, was yours to keep.

Or perhaps it was a variation of this Welsh tradition - that the land was claimed after squatters built a chimney and had smoke rising from it by daybreak. By throwing an axe from all four corners of the house, they then marked out the extent of the property.

Ty Hyll, next to Afon Llugwy between Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig, is now owned by Cwmdeithas Eryri (Snowdonia Society), which also indulges the fantasy to a point.