The now disused Kinmel Hall is the largest surviving country house in Wales. The lavish house has 52 bedrooms plus accommodation for 60 servants.
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.
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.
References
1. Source: http://www.kinmel-estate.co.uk/html/history.html
2. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinmel_Hall
This site is the most fascinating ever you will be awe struck
ugh crazy carol will give me nightmares tonight
Yes! A big yes to this mate! Amazing shots, good day here too man. One of my favourite places this.
great pictures and lovely location! nice
Great shots and thanks for the research to
Awesome!!!
Such lovely photos and wonderful history. Sad that its being vandalized…
Such a beautiful building….Should be in use…awesome pictures.
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!
Amazing building should be a hotel
No photos of the lawn,Orchard and garden especially the blue bells woods at the back. Incomplete documentation
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.
Do they do tours? It’s gorgeous!
Unfortunately not.
is this place guarded ? as id like to go here x
Yes, it’s guarded.
no way i can get in then
Are they selling it? How much?
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.
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
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
who could I contact regarding looking round this place?