A charmingly layered off-grid cottage in rural Wales
In a hidden valley on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, a discreet track crosses a river before jolting through a landscape of ferns, oaks and moss-covered boulders. It emerges at an old farmhouse, nestled between moor and sea, high peaks and ancient woodland. ‘There are no telegraph poles, no hum of cars,’ says its custodian Kathleen Holland. ‘There’s only the rush of the stream, the birdsong and the bleating of sheep.’
Garth Gell was built around 1805, though likely stood on the footprint of an earlier dwelling. The barn beside predates the house by more than a century, while the dry-stone walls threading through surrounding fields and woodland are believed to be older still. Abandoned in 1948, the farmhouse lay untouched for many years until it was rediscovered by Kathleen’s in-laws. ‘During the war, my husband’s father was evacuated to a nearby village, which began our connection to the area,’ Kathleen explains. ‘He later bought a holiday home in the valley, where my mother-in-law still lives – our closest neighbour.’ It was on a wild, wet walk in 1988 that they stumbled upon what was then a ruin, occupied by sheep and knee deep in manure.
Kathleen’s in-laws bought Garth Gell – which roughly translates to ‘The Hill of the Wood’ from Welsh – from a local farmer and began a patient process of revival, guided by the building’s age and setting. Today, it stands confidently against the mountain outline, ‘its solid simplicity in perfect balance with the landscape,’ Kathleen says. The restoration was led by Kathleen’s brother-in-law, Johnny, a conservation architect and founder of Hackett Holland. The original oak rafters and beams were retained and the roof was rebuilt from hand-cut Welsh slate. Damaged floorboards were replaced with matching softwood, slate flagstones scrubbed and sealed with linseed oil and turpentine, and walls lime washed with natural pigments. Sustainable hardwood sash windows were fitted to withstand harsh weather conditions, and plumbing was introduced, fed from a hillside spring.
Outside in the garden, the spring water pours musically into a small pool, once part of a millstream used for butter churning. It offers refreshing cold plunges and, as Kathleen notes, ‘is ideal for chilling wine’. Come the darker months, its silvery waters can be called on as a dependable fridge for perishables.
‘Garth Gell is a place for the hardier in winter,’ Kathleen laughs, referring to the fact that the farmhouse remains consciously off-grid. When Kathleen and her husband, Louie, took over stewardship in 2008, they added modest solar power – enough for a few lamps and a small fridge-freezer. Evenings are otherwise lit by candles and the glow of the hearth. An oil-fired Aga and two wood burners heat the house and provide limited hot water for washing dishes and bathing in the two claw-footed, cast-iron tubs. ‘There are no mod cons – no WiFi or television and mobile reception is patchy,’ explains Kathleen. ‘Being off-grid can bring challenges, but with fewer distractions, you focus on the important things. It is perhaps our greatest luxury.’
Considered simplicity extends to the furnishings. An interior and knitwear designer of Peruvian heritage, Kathleen draws inspiration from the parallels between the landscapes of Snowdonia and Peru. ‘Myriad greens and browns are punctuated by zingy pink foxgloves and fiery rose hips.’ This sensibility carries through to her knitwear label, Alpaca Pie, where warm alpaca fibres combine earthy tones with vivid accents.
At Garth Gell, chalky walls lend a quiet backdrop to statement antiques: a grain chest, utilitarian settles and a Welsh dresser lined with peeling wallpaper sourced from Walter Lloyd Jones Sale Room in Barmouth. Playful colour appears through patterned textiles, sofas draped with sheepskins and custom fabrics from Aleta. A striking iron four-poster, designed by Kathleen and forged by Welshpool blacksmith William O’Brien, stands in the lofty master bedroom. Age and imperfection are embraced throughout, from original panelling to well-worn rugs from Joshua Lumley, all grounded by flagstones and floorboards burnished by centuries of footsteps.
The house has storytelling bones: a sense of the hands that built dry-stone walls and lives shaped by land and weather. ‘It feels part of something ongoing,’ Kathleen says ‘a constant source of perspective and escapism.’ For her family, Garth Gell has been a steady anchor over the years. The children, once building dens, searching for gold in the old mines atop the hill, and having bath time in the stream, are now returning with university friends, continuing the cycle. When not filled with family and friends, the house is rented to guests seeking to revel in the natural world and simple pleasures. Days might begin ushering sheep from the porch and end stargazing from the garden beneath the Dark Sky Reserve. It is a deeply stylish return to basics, for those who cherish scenery, stillness and enduring design.
There are future plans for more solar power and perhaps the restoration of the barn and water wheel, but the essence remains unchanged. ‘We hope to keep the family tradition going,’ Kathleen says, ‘of caring for this treasured home, almost lost to time.’
Katie Pankowski1/8
Jasper Fry2/8
Jasper Fry3/8
Jasper Fry4/8
Jasper Fry5/8The pitted black iron hammer-beaten four poster bed was designed by Kathleen and made by a local blacksmith, William O'Brian, in Welshpool. The bedspread is from Aleta.
Jasper Fry6/8The settle was inherited from Louie's family.
Jasper Fry7/8The bathroom has a delicate Brigitte Singh voile curtain, and a bath tray made by woodworker Ian Willis in Dolgellau.
Katie Pankowski8/8
