Grant funding secured to restore Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos

Penrhos Cottage near Llanycefn, Maenclochog is Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos, or overnight cottage, a building deeply rooted in Welsh cultural history.

Tŷ unnos were traditionally built on common land between sunset and sunrise, often with the support of the local community, as a way of providing shelter for those in need.

The funding will enable specialist contractors to restore the exterior of the historic cottage, including repairs to the traditional thatched roof, restoration of lime mortar walls, limewashing of the building and improvements to the immediate surroundings. This first phase of work is expected to begin in June.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “This is great news for Penrhos Cottage and the wider county, adding to the historical and cultural offer provided by the Museum Service of Pembrokeshire County Council. This is an important project and hopefully an important step towards opening the cottage in the future.”

Cllr Simon Wright, who represents the Maenclochog ward on Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “The grant from the Pilgrims Trust is a fantastic amount to receive for the much-needed improvements to Penrhos Cottage.

“The Maenclochog Community Council has fought long and hard to access funds along with the ‘Friends of Penrhos’. They will be extremely happy to hear the good news and eager to see the works start.

“It is just a start also as more grant aid will be needed and I look forward to working with the Maenclochog Community and County Council to secure those funds.”

Built in the early 1800s on the edge of the moorland in the Maenclochog area, Penrhos Cottage was initially intended as a modest dwelling and later rebuilt in more durable materials. The cottage remained a family home until 1968 before being acquired by the local authority and opened as a museum in the early 1970s.

In recent years, financial pressures have made it increasingly difficult to maintain the building and operate it as a museum. In response, the Museum Service began working closely with the local community in 2023 to explore new ways of managing and sustaining the site.

The restoration project, titled ‘Hidden Gem: Penrhos Cottage: restoring Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos’, aims to secure the future of the building while developing it as a valued museum and community asset.

The Museum Service is working in partnership with Maenclochog Community Council and the Friends of Penrhos Cottage group to support the long-term care, presentation and reopening of the site.

Peter Nicholas, friend of Penrhos, said: “I am delighted that funding has finally been secured to allow these essential repairs to be carried out at Penrhos Cottage. This crucial work will help safeguard the future of this iconic, traditionally built thatched cottage, therefore ensuring it can continue to be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations.”

Maenclochog Community Council said Bwthyn Penrhos is one of North Pembrokeshire’s hidden gems that offers an irreplaceable window into the past.

They added: “We are thrilled that urgent expert repairs are now underway. Its preservation is not only vital for historical integrity, but also for the education and inspiration of future generations.

“Bwthyn Penrhos has the potential to become a vital community resource, creating opportunities for volunteering, partnership and shared learning.”

The work marks the first stage of a wider vision for Penrhos Cottage. Future phases, subject to funding, could include restoring the interior to reflect early 20th century life and reinstating the original cottage garden.

Ultimately, the aim is for the Cottage to open more regularly to visitors, supported by local volunteers, while remaining under the overall management of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Museum Service.

Hefin Wyn, local historian and author, also welcomed the work at Penrhos.

He said: “Penrhos Cottage is very much an iconic part of the area’s heritage. Its presence, with its whitewashed walls, its thatched roof, its furniture and hearth, have been kept as they were when the last occupants lived there, thus reminding us of our history. It all reminds us of a way of life familiar to our forefathers.

“Indeed, some of the older generation still remember John Williams, Penrhos, and his family and will gladly relate the stories. As a result Penrhos represents a visible link with our past. Poets and authors such as E. Llwyd Williams and Derfel Rees have heralded its distinctiveness.

“As a result, from the point of view of heritage, we are keen to preserve the cottage as it was, to be handed on to future generations, as testimony of what once was.”