Kinmel Hall, Conwy, Wales

Kinmel Hall aka Cuckoo Hall or Lotus Hall, Wales

The now disused Kinmel Hall is the largest surviving country house in Wales. The lavish house has 52 bedrooms plus accommodation for 60 servants.

Visited August 2014  UK Conwy, Wales Abandoned

Hsitory of Kinmel Hall, Conwy, Wales

Kinmel Hall was built 1871-76 on the same site as two previous houses to designs of the famed architect William Eden Nesfield. The house has 52 main bedrooms and quarters for 60 live-in servants. The huge house even included a room solely for ironing newspapers! [1]

The house was commissioned by Hugh Robert Hughes, affectionately known as “HRH” when the Kinmel Estate was passed to him following the death of his uncle William Lewis Hughes, second Lord Dinorben. The estate had only been handed down to William 8 months prior following the death of his father, William Lewis Hughes, Dinorben of Kinmel.

The impressive Neo-palladian style stable block was added in the 1850s to designs by William Burn. [2]

The Hughes family remained in the home until 1929. By this time the estate was considerably smaller than when the hall was built, owing to the lavish lifestyles of the family and the extensive building programme embarked upon by HRH. The house was converted for use as a ‘rheuma spa’, a health centre to treat people with rheumatism. The house was used as a hospital during World War II.

Kinmel Hall - The house had extensive landscaped gardens
Kinmel Hall – The house had extensive landscaped gardens

Clarendon Girls School and Christian Conference Centre

After the war the house became Clarendon Girls School and suffered a large fire in 1975. The school was forced to close but the house was restored by businessman Eddie Vince to become a Christian conference centre.

As is often the case with large properties such as this, a number of failed redevelopment opportunities took place. Currently plans have been proposed to convert the house into a hotel but work is yet to begin.

Kinmel Hall - Grand Main Hallway
Kinmel Hall – Grand Main Hallway
Kinmel Hall - Main hallway
Kinmel Hall – Main hallway
Kinmel Hall - Main Staircase
Kinmel Hall – Main Staircase
Kinmel Hall - Through the archway on the main staircase
Kinmel Hall – Through the archway on the main staircase
Kinmel Hall - On the stairs
Kinmel Hall – On the stairs
Kinmel Hall - View from top
Kinmel Hall – View from top
 
Kinmel Hall - View up the stairs
Kinmel Hall – View up the stairs
Kinmel Hall - Top of stairs
Kinmel Hall – Top of stairs
Kinmel Hall - Arch in hallway
Kinmel Hall – Arch in hallway
Kinmel Hall - Hallway with red carpet
Kinmel Hall – Hallway with red carpet
Kinmel Hall - Grand entrance hall
Kinmel Hall – Grand entrance hall
Kinmel Hall - Looking into the red room
Kinmel Hall – Looking into the red room
Kinmel Hall - The red room
Kinmel Hall – The red room
Kinmel Hall - Ballroom ceiling in all white with gold highlights
Kinmel Hall – Ballroom ceiling in all white with gold highlights
Kinmel Hall - The white ballroom
Kinmel Hall – The white ballroom
Kinmel Hall - Ballroom balcony
Kinmel Hall – Ballroom balcony
Kinmel Hall - The library after the carvings were stolen
Kinmel Hall – The library after the carvings were stolen
Kinmel Hall - Carvings gifted by Queen Victoria
Kinmel Hall – Carvings gifted by Queen Victoria
Kinmel Hall - Feature-full rooms
Kinmel Hall – Feature-full rooms
Kinmel Hall - Door to the Clarendon Room
Kinmel Hall – Door to the Clarendon Room
Kinmel Hall - Clarendon Room
Kinmel Hall – Clarendon Room
Kinmel Hall - One of the 52 bedrooms
Kinmel Hall – One of the 52 bedrooms
Kinmel Hall - Another staircase
Kinmel Hall – Another staircase
Kinmel Hall - Ironwork through window
Kinmel Hall – Ironwork through window

 

Kinmel Hall - External view from the front
Kinmel Hall – External view from the front
Kinmel Hall - External angled
Kinmel Hall – Exterior
Kinmel Hall - Lion outside the stable block
Kinmel Hall – Lion outside the stable block
Kinmel Hall - Neo-palladian style stable block
Kinmel Hall – Neo-palladian style stable block
Further Reading
If you liked this report you might also want to check out Proj3ct M4yh3m's Lotus aka Cuckoo Hall Report

Queen Victoria's gift stolen from Kinmel Hall BBC News article.

References

1. Source: http://www.kinmel-estate.co.uk/html/history.html
2. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinmel_Hall

Author: Andy Kay | Facebook | Flickr | Instagram

22 thoughts on Kinmel Hall, Conwy, Wales

  1. It is unbelievable that a gorgeous place like this sits EMPTY! The photos are incredible. I’m quite sure that seeing it in person would be amazing & the pictures couldn’t possibly do the place justice in comparison to seeing it with your own eyes. Thank you for sharing these gems with us because I would never have had the opportunity to see them otherwise!

  2. No photos of the lawn,Orchard and garden especially the blue bells woods at the back. Incomplete documentation

  3. I lived in Kinmel Hall when it was Clarendon Boarding School for girls.
    Sadly the niw new turkish owner apparently is reported to have no intention to restore it, but instead let it rot till it falls down so they can build on it.
    They cant demolish it because its a grade 1 listed building, thus the reported plan is to let it fall down by itself. So sad if it thats the case, but always live in hope for a miracle.

  4. We just went up and sadly it’s no longer accessible. There was a lorry, workmen and a police sign. Hopefully it’s a sign it will reopen but disappoint we couldn’t look around.

  5. used to go on holiday there . lovely place i went back to visit it today and the gate had a massive lock on it .. i wouldve climed over to take a better look but i had my kids with me and couldn’t

  6. Hi mark , how long ago was it that you were there i went about 3 months ago and the were 3 polish men and a articulated lorry there doing some work , i also holidayed here with my family in the early 90s when it was a Christian centre

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