King's former Welsh holiday home to host plant healing retreats

By Victoria Ward

The King's beloved Welsh holiday home is to host plant healing workshops and retreats after being taken over by an art gallery.

The monarch purchased the cottage, called Llwynywermod, on the outskirts of the Brecon Beacons National Park, for £1.2 million ($2.39 million) in 2007 via the Duchy of Cornwall after searching for 40 years for the perfect place.

He spent years having it restored and stayed there for a week or two every year.

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In 2022, following the death of Elizabeth II, it was inherited as part of the wider Duchy estate by Prince William, as the new Prince of Wales, and the King voluntarily gave up the lease.

Two years on, the property now has a new tenant, the Arusha Gallery, which plans to open a "dynamic new flagship venue" on the site called Arusha at Llwynywermod.

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Its official launch will coincide with the summer solstice on June 21, and will "centre around the world of plants".

The gallery has taken its inspiration from the legacy of "the legendary Physicians of Myddfai" – 12th century pioneers of modern medicine through herbalism.

Its inaugural event will include an exhibition, lectures and workshops "designed to inspire our spiritual relationship with plants as healers and teachers".

The nearby town of Myddfai has long been associated with the healing power of nature, with knowledge about medicinal plants said to have been passed down through generations of local healers.

"The Physicians of Myddfai, known for their expertise in plant lore and herbal medicine, were originally detailed in 13th-century Welsh manuscripts, yet the area continued to be associated with the traditional knowledge of medicinal uses of herbs and plants until the 1800s," the gallery said.

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"At the summer solstice, Arusha at Llwynywermod will build on the local legacy of plant knowledge, integrating Welsh traditions with those of a global community, with a powerful programme inspiring both contemplation and transformation.

"The spectacular yet tranquil setting of Llwynywermod will showcase the breathtaking gardens and natural beauty of the area, providing an idyllic environment for learning, conversation and experience."

The King, who has been a lifelong supporter of alternative medicine and therapies, was not involved in discussions about the new tenancy.

The main space will become an art gallery with additional areas for performance, retreats and workshops.

The gallery said that the "remarkable" estate was "steeped in quiet beauty, surrounded by a rich legacy of Welsh legend and history".

It added: "Arusha at Llwynywermod will transform the cultural landscape of south-west Wales with impactful and thought provoking programming, courses and exhibitions, promoting Wales as an exceptional destination for contemporary art, art education, and culture."

Arusha is a contemporary art gallery that opened its main premises in Edinburgh in 2013.

It has a second space in London's Fitzrovia and also runs a residency programme and gallery in Bruton, Somerset.

It organises regular collaborations with guest artists, curators, festivals and institutions both nationally and internationally.

The Llwynywermod estate, nestled in 192 acres of rolling countryside, comprises the main house, a Grade-II listed barn and two separate properties, North Range and West Rage, which were previously rented out as holiday lets.

The King was particularly fond of the property, choosing to retreat there following the death of his father, Prince Philip, in 2021.

He restored Llwynywermod with the help of architect Craig Hamilton and interior designer Annabel Elliot, the Queen's sister.

The old house and the disintegrating concrete and corrugated iron farm buildings, where there was also an abandoned slurry pit, were restored by Welsh craftsmen using traditional methods and local materials.

Its custom-made carpets were based on an 18th-century Welsh blanket design, while a woodchip boiler was installed to provide heating and hot water to the entire estate.

The King also planted climbers including Albertine roses, jasmine and honeysuckle up the walls.

Six of the English field maples which formed an avenue of trees at Westminster Abbey during the Prince and Princess of Wales's 2011 wedding were later rehomed at the Welsh retreat, set in the soil at the front of the house, along a rustic wooden fence.

The original owner, William Williams in the 13th or 14th century, was an ancestor of Anne Boleyn.

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