Why we chose this castle for rent:
- Romantic folly retreat: 19th-century Gothic tower hidden in Snowdonia, now a unique self-catering holiday stay.
- Charming interiors: Two cosy bedrooms, bright living spaces, and sweeping views from the top floor.
- Modern comforts: Kitchen, wood-burning stove, WiFi, TV, and a spacious roll-top bath.
- Prime location: Set in stunning countryside near mountains, coast, and picturesque Welsh villages.
- Rich heritage: Linked to Owain Gwynedd, built by industrialist Joseph Huddart in 1821, restored in the 1990s.
Brynkir Tower is a stunning, early 19th-century tower folly hidden away in the woods of Snowdonia National Park, Wales.
This lovely building has been extensively renovated internally and now offers romantic and stylish accommodation.
Linked by a classic old stone staircase are two bedrooms; one double and one twin, a living room, kitchen, and a very spacious bathroom.
The interiors are cosy, bright, and clean, the views tremendous from the top floor living room, and the whole experience is one of truly splendid isolation, though you do have WiFi and a TV!
The Accomodation:
- Living room: Sofa, armchairs, wood-burning stove, TV and wonderful views.
- Kitchen & dining: Well-equipped with electric cooker, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, and table with chairs.
- Two bedrooms: One double and one twin, cosy and romantic in style.
- Bathroom highlight: Spacious with a vintage roll-top bath offering scenic views.
- See the accommodation in more detail here.
The cosy sitting room has a sofa, armchairs, TV, a wood-burning stove, and it, along with the bathroom, has the best of views.
The kitchen has an electric cooker, microwave, fridge, and dishwasher, amongst other conveniences, as well as a dining table and chairs.
Then there are the cosy and romantic two bedrooms, one of which is a double, the other a twin. The bathroom deserves a special mention too; it is bright and spacious and has a lovely old-style roll-top bath from where to enjoy the views.
Note: Though pets are welcome to stay, there are many sheep in the immediate surroundings so dogs should be kept on a leash when outside.
Prices:
Check out all the details on the booking page here.
Facilities & Things to Do:
- Snowdonia base: Located on the park’s edge, perfect for hikes and mountain climbs.
- Scenic excursions: Drive through beautiful countryside, visit Beddgelert, Criccieth, or Portmeirion.
- Coastal access: Nearby beaches along the North Wales coast within easy reach.
- Travel links: Holyhead ferry to Ireland under an hour, Wrexham 90 minutes, Liverpool about 2 hours.
- Splendid seclusion: Peaceful woodland setting offering privacy and relaxation.
The tower is located a few miles from the small village of Garndolbenmaen, or Garn to the locals, at the edge of the Snowdonia National Park, and amidst some of Wales’s and the U.K.’s most beautiful rural landscapes.
The park is vast and you can enjoy lovely hikes in the surrounding countryside and the foothills of Snowdonia. The mountain itself is there to be tackled too of course, or you can always take the very scenic train ride.
A drive around the area can take in some extraordinary scenery and some lovely towns and villages, Beddgelert within the park itself for example, or the likes of Criccieth and Portmeiron along the nearby coast.
Holyhead, for ferries to Ireland, is less than an hour away, Wrexham an hour and a half, and the city of Liverpool around two hours.
A Little History of Brynkir:
- Medieval roots: Estate linked to descendants of Owain Gwynedd, medieval King of Gwynedd.
- Name origin: Bryncir means hill of the deer; it was once an important hunting ground.
- 17th century manor: Brynkir Hall built in 1644 near today’s tower, later ruined.
- Gothic tower: Built in 1821 by Joseph Huddart, son of an industrialist, and praised by the Prince of Wales.
- Modern era: Estate fragmented in 1930, tower derelict until restored in the 1990s as a holiday home.
Brynkir has a long history as an estate with descendents of the infamous Owain ap Gruffudd or Owain the Great, King of Gwynedd residing there since medieval times.
Bryncir in old Welsh means hill of the deer, and it is believed to have been an important hunting ground for the nobility of North Wales.
The occupants themselves took the surname Brynkir as their own and in 1644 built a grand manor house, now ruined, near the site of the present-day tower.
Over the following centuries the estate passed hands many times until 1809 when it it ended up with Captain Joseph Huddart.
He had earned a fortune from the invention of a steam-driven, industrial rope binder and soon set about a large renovation of the estate, and the manor house known as Brynkir Hall.
He died in 1816 and in 1821, his son, also Joseph Huddart, the High Sheriff of Caernarfonshire, followed on his work with the building of the 6-story Gothic Tower we see today.
The new tower was an instant hit with among its first reported visitors being the Prince of Wales. So impressed was he with the elegant new construction that Mr. Huddart would, on his recommendation, soon after receiving a Knighthood.
The estate remained with the Huddart family until 1910 when bankruptcy led to the State taking over the entire property.
Apart from a stint as a Prisoner of War camp during WW1 the hall and the tower were left empty, with the Hall eventually being demolished in the 1920s.
In 1930 the estate was broken up and sold off in small lots and though the tower remained standing it would stay derelict until the early 1990s when a large renovation was undertaken.
This renovation stayed true to the historical fabric of the place and resulted in the wonderful holiday home we see today.
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