'All the Christmases roll down towards the two-tongued sea, like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street.'
Wales's Gower Peninsula was a favourite haunt of Dylan Thomas and, from his birth in Swansea to his death at Laugharne, the coast of west Wales inspired him - as in that beautiful quote from A Child's Christmas in Wales. So I thought we'd follow him out towards his "carol-singing sea" today.
Starting here, with this four bedroom country home in the hamlet of Old Halls, a mile or so from the village of Llanrhydian in stunning North Gower countryside.
Downstairs is a large lounge, good size kitchen and separate utility room and, bizarrely, three toilets (one within a downstairs wet room). Upstairs are four bedrooms and a bathroom. The bedrooms look like some ceilings have been replastered. My guess is the previous owner lost the ability to use the upstairs rooms and didn't see the Welsh rains move in.
It sits within a large plot of garden land (picture at top of post and below), surrounded by hedges and just enough privacy.
On the market through John Francis at offers over £360k. Details, video and more pictures on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My next pick is much cheaper, almost half the price of Old Hall, but consequently smaller and rather less space and privacy.
This old-lady gone semi is the lovely estuary village of Penclawdd, on the northern edge of the Gower Peninsula. Penclawdd is - hopefully still is - a proper working fishing town and at some point between 1963 and 1971 had at least one resident who wanted to document that community. There's a lovely little section of YouTube carrying those videos but no information about the documentarist - would love to know more? Indulge me while I show you just one of his (her?) Whitsun parade videos.
Anyway, back to our Penclawdd cottage. It has three bedrooms upstairs, a good size lounge, kitchen and wet room downstairs (you could look to move the bathroom upstairs and into the smallest bedroom?).
It's all in reasonable condition but you'll want to change the outside, maybe ditch that damp-trapping render if you can? Outside is a large garden and driveway, and you're close enough to the estuary to see it from the upper windows.
On the market also through John Francis at £190k. Details and more pictures on the agent's website here and on Rightmove here.
And, if you've been following the blog and are thinking: "what about Welsh chapels, Sue?!" - this is the site to keep an eye on: Church in Wales/redundant churches
Nothing available in the area I'm focusing on today, but I would have included this absolutely stunning coastal church in Llanybri, in Dylan's Carmanthenshire. Unfortunately it's now sold.
Anyway, I'm going to finish with the inimitable Michael Sheen reading a section from Thomas's Christmas story. Have a wonderful Christmas.
