The Welsh House
The Welsh House has rescued and restored three traditional Welsh cottages set in the peace and tranquility of rural Carmarthenshire. Created with a passion for architecture and an obsession for detail these unique holiday homes offer the perfect destination for those in search of a getaway where the focus is on slowing down and enjoying the rustic charms of a simpler way of life.
Our journal features things to do on vacation because we believe that local expert's knowledge can sometimes lead to some of the best experiences on holiday.
In the thoughtful mix of finds, you'll discover not so much a style, but more a feeling - one that is focussed on simple living and a sense of authenticity.
Photograph by Rich Stapleton for Cereal
Photograph by Rich Stapleton for Cereal
Cottage History
Bryn Eglur
Salvaging this ruined smallholder’s cottage began with installing timbers hewn from Dorian’s parents’ forest. Fittings came from equally close to home: a box bed from a nearby rectory, a 17th-century court cupboard in the traditional local style and stick-backed chairs Dorian learned to make himself.
Bryncyn
From the front Bryncyn is a traditional Welsh cottage with two rooms up-stairs, two down and an adjoining cowshed. But the interior’s undistinguished Victorian features gave Dorian carte blanche to make radical changes. Ripping out partitions and adding a modern Japanese style terrace.
Ty Unnos
Modelled on a traditional Welsh cottage, Ty Unnos takes its name from its predecessor on the same site - a house built between sunset and sunrise While the results of the experiment were short-lived Dorian’s more permanent replacement is no less a marvel. With timbers found in local woods, an under thatch of woven hazel and gorse insulation it’s a one-night wonder.
Photograph by Rich Stapleton for Cereal
Photograph by Rich Stapleton for Cereal
Dorian Bowen
Dorian’s connection with the natural world, his knowledge of its inhabitants and his passion for its welfare and survival is an inspirational window into a way of life we’ve lost.
Originally trained as a Chartered Surveyor, Dorian left his twenty-five year career in London to return home to Wales. The Welsh House is now his journey from our modern lives back into the heart of nature.