Tŷ Hyll, the instantly recognisable 'Ugly House' in Eryri Snowdonia National Park, is going to auction with a guide price of £199,000 plus fees, prompting a campaign to ensure it remains a public building. The detached property, built from massive, rough and mismatched boulders with no mortar used in its original construction, is one of the most photographed buildings in Wales.
A fairytale construction and its legends
According to 15th century folklore, if someone could build a house on common land in a day it could become their home, a tradition known as Ty Un Nos, translating to 'House Built in a Night'. The legend goes that if four walls, a roof and a working chimney were constructed between sunrise and sunset, ownership of the dwelling and some land around it could belong to the builder.
Some tales suggest the building was made by outlaws as a bandits' hideaway, though evidence does not support this. Cadw, which listed the property in 1966, says the various legends are questionable, dating the house 'with amusing improbability to c1475' and suggesting its 'history' was an 'invented package'. The listing indicates the current building dates to around 1819, probably built in response to Thomas Telford's upgrade of the London to Holyhead road, now the A5.
From disrepair to auction
The cottage fell into disrepair during the 1980s until it was taken on and renovated by Cymdeithas Eryri, the Snowdonia Society, in 1988. The society has now put it on the market, with the property currently leased out as a tea room and located beside the A5 between Betws-y-Coed and Capel Curig. The sale includes around five acres of land with a car park.
The auction house flags that the existing drainage arrangements will require replacement or substantial upgrading. The auction details state: 'it will be the purchaser's responsibility to satisfy themselves regarding the provision of a compliant septic tank, mini treatment plant or alternative drainage solution, together with all associated consents, installation costs and ongoing maintenance requirements'. The online auction, originally due on 26 August 2026, has been moved to Wednesday, September 23 between 5.30pm and 6pm, via Town and Country Property Auctions.
Tearoom owner's fears and community petition
Current tearoom owner Jane Davies, who established the business four and a half years ago, is fearful for its future. She told North Wales Live: "What upsets me is the lack of any stipulation that Tŷ Hyll must remain open to the public." She added: "I pay rates for a property that is classed as both domestic and business, meaning the building could revert to being a private house – this despite it being much loved by visitors and a key part of the area's heritage."
The tearoom has been given a lease extension and will close on Sunday, September 27, after Davies's attempts to buy the property before the auction failed, with her offer £15,000 below the auctioneer's valuation. She said: "They refused my offer point blank. I couldn't have offered any more. The issue is the property waste disposal system: it needs replacing and I had an £80,000 quote for the work."
Fears the property might close to the public, revert to a dwelling or become a holiday let prompted Catherine McGuinness to set up a petition called Save Ty Hyll The Ugly House on change.org. The petition, currently on 725 signatures, calls on members of the Senedd to raise the issue, National Trust Cymru to consider acquiring ownership, Conwy Council to support conservation measures, and the Snowdonia Society to 'pause the sale and explore community-focused alternatives'.
McGuinness, 35, from Llandudno Junction, told North Wales Live the community is devastated as 'generations of locals and visitors have fallen in love with its tranquillity, mystique and homemade Welsh produce'. A spokesperson for Cymdeithas Eryri said its trustees had resolved to "re-direct our resources elsewhere" and "hopes very much" the incoming owner will manage the site "in a spirit" that reflects previous efforts. The spokesperson added there is "no intention to stop Tŷ Hyll being a visitor attraction and every chance that it will remain as such."
Davies plans to move her business to Gwesty Cobdens, a hotel on the A5 near Capel Curig, and will call it the Old Ugly House Tearoom. She said: "I will be sad to leave Tŷ Hyll but I'm also very excited for the new venue."
