Clough Williams-Ellis had conceived of a tightly grouped coastal village on some romantic clifftop site, perhaps on an island or a remote estuary. This idea stayed with him for about 20 years until in 1925 he found the Aber Iâ estate on the Dwyryd estuary near his home. It was more or less exactly  what he had been hoping for, and it was for sale - he bought if for what is said to be around £5,000.

The first thing he did was change the name to Portmeirion. He did not feel Aber Iâ was approprite as it could mean 'frozen river mouth' which was not ideal for a holiday resort.

The name Portmeirion comes from 'Port' to put it on the coast and 'Meirion' the correct spelling of Merioneth, the county in which is was located.

Portmeirion was built in two stages, from 1925 to 1939 and then once post war building restrictions had been lifted, from 1954-76.