Island House, Historic townhouse in Laugharne, Wales
Island House is a stone townhouse in Laugharne with thick walls, two oriel windows, and a crenellated gatehouse positioned along Wogan Street below Laugharne Castle. The building lies near the Taf Estuary and displays architectural features that span different periods of construction.
The structure sustained major damage in 1644 during the English Civil War when forces under Cromwell attacked Laugharne Castle nearby. This attack left lasting marks on the building and shaped its subsequent history.
The house served as home to Caleb Rees, a senior education official in Wales, who hosted social and charitable events in its gardens from 1943 to 1970. This connection remains part of the local memory of the place.
The building has been undergoing conversion into a boutique hotel with restaurant and bar facilities since its acquisition in 2020. Check in advance what areas are open to visitors, as restoration work is ongoing.
Excavations in 1818 uncovered Roman finds in the gardens, including bath structures, lead pipes, and an Etruscan urn. This discovery suggests the site has a much longer history than the current building.
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