Plas Newydd

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

3/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2014

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

I have written a separate review covering the history of the house, visiting and our general impressions. This review just looks at what there is to see inside the house. Unfortunately the verdict is ‘not a lot’. We were very disappointed. There weren’t that many rooms to see and many were fairly basically furnished. There were lots of paintings on the walls but very little information about them. In fact there was very little information about the house. Room Stewards made little effort to engage visitors and information sheets in the rooms where high on rhetoric but low on content. I admit I am not a great one for paintings and the Whistler painting did little to to change that.

Entry is through the back of the house into a large austere ENTRANCE HALL lined with pictures. Stewards made little effort to meet and greet us.

The MUSIC ROOM is on the left. It is a huge empty room with a vaulted ceiling and containing a grand piano which is dwarfed by the size of the room and chairs round the walls. There is a large stone fireplace and pictures on the walls. This was used a s a ballroom when Queen Victoria visited.

Beyond, a STONE STAIRCASE with a crystal chandelier and more pictures on the walls leads up to the first floor. At the top are green fluted painted mock marble pillars and a grandfather clock with an inlaid Chinese pattern. In a glass case is a beautiful ivory carving of a pagoda.

Down a long corridor with more paintings, across the top of the entrance hall is LADY ANGLESEY’S SET OF ROOMS. This includes dressing room, bathroom with cherry pattern wallpaper and a very feminine pink and white bedroom designed for her in the 1930s. It has a four poster bed and comfy chairs arranged by the fireplace. She chose this room as it had the best views. There is no bell as Lady Anglesey preferred to use the telephone. Visitors leave by the servant’s door which has no handle on the inside.

Beyond is LORD ANGLESEY’S BEDROOM with what is described as a flying tester bed as it had no visible means of holding up the canopy. The hangings are reproductions of he original 1730’s hand painted Chinese silk. Part of the original can be seen round the pelmet. The room has a small desk, huge wardrobe and a boot jack. Off is his bathroom lined with wall cupboards. A door is open to show a dressing gown hanging up.

The tour continues down the servant’s SPIRAL STAIRCASE back to the entrance hall. Through the arches is a small sitting area with chairs with blue and white patterned upholstery and blue walls. This leads into the SALON with a large bow window overlooking the Menai Strait. Green upholstered chairs are arranged around the fireplace and a small table is laid for afternoon tea. In the window is the rent table used to collect rents from the tenants who placed the money in a central well.

Beyond is the BREAKFAST ROOM with green walls and pictures of boats. The table is laid for breakfast with silver egg cups.

Beyond is the WHISTLER EXHIBITION ROOM with letters written by Whistler, small sketches and his waistcoat and gloves. It is fairly turgid, unless you are interested in Whistler.

The DINING ROOM leads off this and contains the massive Whistler painting commissioned by the 6th Marquess. This was painted on canvas which was woven in Paris and had to be brought by train to Anglesey. It was so large it had to be lifted in through the window. At the time Whistler was madly in love with Lady Caroline, the eldest daughter, who did not return his feelings as she wanted to marry someone of similar status to herself. The lovelorn Whistler included a self portrait of himself as a lowly gardener. The painting is technically very clever as the perspectives move as you walk down the room. It includes local mountains as a backdrop with Harlech Castle, St Martin’s in the Fields, Trajan’s column in Rome as well as other well known landmarks. At either end on the side walls there are views down a colonnade of arches, which I found the most interesting. There are fireplaces at either end of the room with trompe d’oeil paintings above them of armour or globe, map and anchor.

The ceiling is painted in panels with squares with laurel leaves, lyre, shells, eagle, flower motifs… In the centre of the room is a long dining table.

The CAVALRY MUSEUM has military uniforms, guns and a lovely Christening dress from 1768. I didn’t find the articulated wooden leg of the 1st Marquess.

The tour leaves the house past a kid’s play room, second hand book room, tea room and very ordinary shop. That last comments sums up the overall experience.

Visit website

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.