Portmeirion Centenary Talks 1: Sarah Bayliss

Portmeirion Centenary Talks: 1

Sarah Bayliss: 1926 and All That: Portmeirion and other experiments

As part of the Centenary celebrations for Portmeirion, the Susan Williams-Ellis Foundation (YSWEF), which is responsible for running the historic house and arts centre at Plas Brondanw, have organised this series of talks on aspects of the village’s history.

Portmeirion emerged at a time when British society was being profoundly re-shaped in the aftermath of World War One. These were volatile and experimental years of rapid social and cultural shifts. What was the country like when the Hotel first opened its doors, and how did Portmeirion reflect the fast changing, modernising postwar world? Who were its early guests and what was their experience? What was Clough's vision for Portmeirion and what other cultural experiments were happening at this time?

Sarah Baylis is a freelance writer, public historian and heritage consultant living in North Wales. Her book 'Portmeirion: The Architecture of Pleasure', was published by Yale University Press in 2026.

Tickets are priced at £15, £20 and £25. We hope these events will generate some income for YSWEF – a charitable foundation that aims to preserve and promote the Susan Williams-Ellis and other related archives, and to promote the arts – so please pay what suits your budget. There is no difference in terms of seating or provision for the different ticket types, everyone gets the same talk.  Ticket price includes admission to Portmeirion from 4pm.  Doors open at 5:00pm and the talk will commence at 5:30pm.  This series will be through the medium of English.